Israel, Hamas Sign Agreement for Hostage Release Within 72 Hours of IDF Withdrawal

Cairo, Oct. 10 — All Israeli hostages, both living and deceased, currently held in Gaza are set to be released within 72 hours of the Israeli military’s withdrawal, according to a landmark agreement signed between Israel, Hamas, and Egyptian mediators.

The document, titled “Implementation Steps for President Trump’s ‘Comprehensive End of Gaza War’”, was first published by Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster. It outlines a detailed multi-step roadmap aimed at bringing the ongoing Gaza conflict to a definitive close.

According to the text, the process begins with U.S. President Donald Trump’s formal declaration announcing “the end of the war in the Gaza Strip” and confirming that all parties have agreed to implement the necessary steps toward peace.

The second clause stipulates that hostilities will cease immediately upon approval by the Israeli government. This will be followed by the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid and relief supplies into Gaza, marking the third phase of the agreement.

Under the fourth provision, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw to pre-designated lines as indicated in “Map X” attached to the document. This withdrawal will take place within 24 hours of the Israeli government’s approval and following President Trump’s public announcement. The agreement further clarifies that the IDF “will not return to the areas vacated, provided Hamas fully adheres to the terms.”

The fifth and most consequential step outlines that “within 72 hours of the withdrawal of Israeli forces, all Israeli hostages—living and deceased—will be released.”

According to The Times of Israel, a subclause in this section mandates the creation of an information-sharing mechanism to ensure proper accounting of “any deceased hostages whose remains were not retrieved within the 72-hour period, as well as the remains of Gazans held by Israel.”

The document emphasizes that this mechanism will guarantee “the full and safe exhumation and return of all hostages’ remains,” while Hamas is instructed to “exert maximum effort to ensure full compliance as swiftly as possible.”

The next subclause specifies that for every hostage released, Israel will simultaneously free an equivalent number of Palestinian prisoners as listed in the annexed exchange lists. This exchange, the agreement notes, will be conducted “through mediators and under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), without public ceremonies or media coverage.”

The final section of the agreement calls for the establishment of a multinational task force comprising representatives from the United States, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and other mutually agreed nations. This body will oversee the implementation and verification process, coordinating directly with both sides to ensure compliance and stability in the post-war phase.

If implemented as outlined, the agreement could mark the first comprehensive cessation of hostilities since the onset of the latest Gaza conflict and potentially open a new chapter in the region’s fragile peace efforts.