Israel-Hamas Walk Tightrope as Marwan Barghouti’s Release Threatens to Be the Thorn in Hostage Deal

New Delhi: Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and the release of hostages and prisoners in what is being described as the first major breakthrough in efforts to end the devastating war in Gaza. But a few sticking points remain. 

Israel has so far refused to free several top Palestinian prisoners, with Marwan Barghouti being the most prominent name on Hamas’s list. Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences in Israel, remains a key demand in Hamas’s negotiations. A senior Hamas official said that “negotiations regarding the release of Palestinian prisoners” are still ongoing.  

The deal, brokered through indirect talks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, marks the opening phase of a peace initiative led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Under the agreement, fighting will halt, Israel will begin a partial withdrawal from Gaza, and Hamas will release the remaining Israeli hostages seized during the attacks that sparked the conflict. In return, Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

But what many are calling “the beginning of a new era” may still need some finishing touches. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s full cabinet meeting was underway to ratify the deal, one that much of the world hopes will end the suffering of millions in Gaza. Far-right groups in Israel, however, have opposed the agreement with Hamas.

Both Israeli and Palestinian officials confirmed the signing of the deal on Thursday. Israel has named the operation to bring back the hostages “Return to Their Border,” according to Netanyahu’s official spokesperson.

The Israel-Hamas deal has sparked scenes of relief and jubilation on both sides, offering the first glimmer of hope after two years of conflict that have claimed more than 67,000 Palestinian lives and left vast swathes of Gaza in ruins.

As part of the agreement, aid convoys carrying food and medical supplies are set to pour into the territory, where hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians have been living in tents amid the rubble of their destroyed homes.

The ceasefire represents the most significant step yet toward ending the war, though questions remain about the durability of the truce and the political future of Gaza once the guns fall silent. 

Optimism in Gaza

“Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing,” said Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, as quoted by Reuters.

“I am not the only one happy — all of Gaza is happy, all the Arab people, all the world is happy with the ceasefire and the end of bloodshed,” he said.

In Tel Aviv’s so-called Hostages Square, Einav Zaugauker, whose son Matan is among the last remaining hostages, rejoiced. Families of those seized in Hamas’s 2023 attack have gathered there for months to demand their loved ones’ return.

“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t explain what I’m feeling … it’s crazy,” she said, speaking in the red glow of a celebratory flare.

An Israeli government spokeswoman confirmed the deal had been signed, saying the ceasefire would go into effect within 24 hours of the cabinet meeting. Within 72 hours of that, the hostages held in Gaza will be freed, she added.

A source briefed on the agreement said Israeli troops would begin pulling back within 24 hours of the deal being signed.

An Israeli official said all 20 Israeli hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza after being seized by Hamas in Israel in October 2023 would be released within days. Twenty-six other hostages have been declared dead in absentia, and the fate of two others remains unknown. Hamas has indicated that recovering their bodies may take longer.