Overview

• Israel’s government is scheduled to meet today to ratify the pact as the Israel Defense Forces begin preparations to redeploy to a U.S.-defined “yellow line” inside Gaza.
• The first exchanges foresee all 48 hostages in Gaza being returned, with roughly 20 believed alive, in tandem with the release of about 1,950–2,000 Palestinian prisoners including some 250 serving life sentences.
• Implementation calls for an initial IDF pullback to positions roughly 1.5 to 6.5 kilometers inside the enclave, leaving a significant Israeli presence while mediators coordinate the exchanges.
• Gaza Civil Defense reported explosions after the announcement and the IDF warned troops to be ready for any scenario, underscoring the deal’s fragility and the risk of setbacks.
• The accord is framed as the opening step of a broader U.S. 20‑point plan on demilitarization, humanitarian access and interim governance, as Qatar, Egypt and Turkey take on oversight and regional leaders welcome the move.