A senior Hamas official says the terrorist organization is still waiting for a formal declaration of a cease-fire from Israel, even as both sides appear to have agreed on the first phase of a deal aimed at ending months of violence in Gaza.
The agreement calls for a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops, increased humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
According to the Israeli government, 47 hostages remain in Gaza — 20 are believed to be alive, the status of two is unknown, and 25 are presumed dead.
President Trump addressed the situation earlier Thursday (Oct. 9), saying the U.S. is working to bring all hostages home, regardless of their condition.
“We’re bringing them home,” Trump said. “Getting them is a complicated process. I’d rather not tell you what they have to do to get them. There are places you don’t want to be, but we are getting the hostages back on Monday or Tuesday, and that’ll be a day of joy.”
Joining WDIV to analyze the developing cease-fire deal, retired U.S. Army Colonel and former Michigan House Majority Leader Rocky Raczkowski — a Bronze Star recipient — said the agreement is entering its earliest and most fragile stage.
“The president initially laid out 20 points, and those turned into three phases, with a fourth being the end state — peace for the Gaza Strip.
We’re in that first phase. There is an agreement, and what’s going to happen is basically there is a cease-fire.
The Israeli troops will do a slight withdrawal from the main cities of Gaza, and Hamas, the controlling government of Gaza, and the warriors will basically return hostages that they took – 20 living and 28 bodies.
The problem here is that out of the 28 bodies, they say some of those bodies may have been buried now in areas that the Israeli military is occupying. So that may be a problem.”
Retired U.S. Army Colonel and former Michigan House Majority Leader Rocky Raczkowski
When asked whether this cease-fire could lead to lasting peace, Raczkowski was cautiously optimistic but realistic about the challenges ahead.
“I’m ecstatic about phase one — the fact that hostages will be freed and that there will be a cease-fire and some aid will get into Gaza to feed the people.
The issue is going to be phase two, and this is a governance where Hamas has to demilitarize itself and stop governing the area.
I don’t think that they’re going to reach an agreement on that. And that’s where Israel and the rest of the Sunni Arab nations, not the Shia, but the Sunni Arab nations that signed off on this agreement, may actually institute using special operation forces to take out those Hamas leaders that do not agree to moving out.”
Retired U.S. Army Colonel and former Michigan House Majority Leader Rocky Raczkowski
According to Raczkowski, phase three would focus on economic redevelopment in Gaza, followed by a hoped-for “end state” of lasting peace.
As for the humanitarian crisis unfolding amid the negotiations, Raczkowski said both Israel and international aid organizations are working to bring food and supplies into Gaza as Israeli troops shift to defensive positions outside major cities.
“You’re seeing civil military operations of the Israeli, the IDF, the Israeli Defense Forces, bringing in food as well as international organizations bringing in food, as the Israeli forces take a defensive position outside, outside of the main cities,” said Raczkowski.