The Israel - Egypt Agreement on Disengagement

UN border point at the 101st kilometer at the Yom Kippur War. ארכיון היסטורי אגד / CC BY 2.5

The Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Egypt was signed on January 18, 1974, and officially ended the Yom Kippur War and the period of attrition that followed it.

After the Yom Kippur War, which went on during the month of October 1973, there were two ceasefires between the sides. Before the second ceasefire became official, the IDF forces quickly besieged the Egyptian Third Armia in the Western part of the Suez Canal.

After much international pressure, Israel agreed to allow supplies from the UN into the besieged Egyptian forces, and talks between both sides began. During the talks battles between both sides continued, especially when talks reached a dead end. Egypt returned 233 Israeli prisoners of war, and Israel retrieved 8,300 prisoners to Egypt.

On January 18th, the agreement was signed by Egyptian General Gamassi and IDF Chief of Staff David Elazar. This agreement was the first of several that followed and is believed to have been the first step in the peace process between the two countries.