Israel and Hamas Reach Gaza Ceasefire Agreement

Israel and Hamas have reportedly agreed to a ceasefire deal for Gaza, marking a critical step toward de-escalation and potential peace, according to sources.

According to mediators Qatar and the US, Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal after 15 months of conflict.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani stated that the agreement would take effect on Sunday, provided it receives approval from the Israeli cabinet.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the plan aims to “stop the conflict in Gaza, increase essential humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned that the deal’s final details were still under negotiation, expressing gratitude towards Biden for his role in “promoting” it. Meanwhile, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya attributed the agreement to Palestinian “resilience”.

Many Palestinians and families of Israeli hostages celebrated the news, but the ground conflict in Gaza showed no signs of abating.

According to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency, Israeli air strikes resulted in over 20 fatalities after the Qatari announcement. Among those killed were 12 individuals residing in a residential building in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, according to their report. The Israeli military has not yet issued any comments on these events.

Israel initiated a campaign to dismantle Hamas – designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US, and other countries – following an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023. This assault resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties and the taking of 251 hostages.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, over 46,700 people have lost their lives since then. Additionally, most of the territory’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced amidst widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter due to difficulties in delivering aid to those who need it.

Israel reports that 94 hostages remain in the custody of Hamas, with 34 of them presumed dead. Additionally, there are four Israelis who were abducted prior to the war; two among them have died.

The Prime Minister of Qatar urged “calm” from both parties ahead of the initial six-week phase of the ceasefire agreement. He stated that this period would involve an exchange, where 33 hostages—including women, children, and elderly individuals—would be traded for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Israeli forces will move eastward, away from Gaza’s densely populated areas. Displaced Palestinians will start returning to their homes, and hundreds of aid trucks will be permitted entry into the territory daily.

Negotiations for the second phase, aimed at achieving the release of the remaining hostages, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops, and restoring “sustainable calm,” are set to commence on day 16.

The third and final stage will focus on rebuilding Gaza, a process that could span several years, along with the repatriation of any remaining hostages’ bodies.

The final approval will be given by Israel’s cabinet when they meet on Thursday morning.

The ceasefire and the release of the first three Israeli hostages are anticipated for Sunday. However, a senior Hamas official informed the BBC that discussions are underway to possibly advance this timeline to Thursday night.

Sheikh Mohammed stated that there is “a clear mechanism for negotiating phases two and three,” with the agreements scheduled to be released “in the next few days, once the details are finalized.”

He also mentioned that Qatar, the US, and Egypt, who were instrumental in mediating the deal, would collaborate to ensure both Israel and Hamas meet their commitments.

He expressed hope that this will mark the conclusion of the war, and wished for all parties to fully commit to implementing every aspect of the agreement.

President Biden stated that the plan, initially proposed eight months prior, was “the outcome of not only the intense pressure on Hamas and the altered regional dynamics following a ceasefire in Lebanon and Iran’s weakened influence but also result from persistent and meticulous American diplomacy.”

“As we receive this news, our thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones in Hamas’s attack on October 7 and all the innocent individuals who have died in the subsequent conflict,” a statement said. “The time has come for hostilities to cease and for efforts towards peace and security to commence.”

At a subsequent news conference, Biden also recognized the efforts of President-elect Donald Trump, who urged both parties to release hostages before his inauguration on Monday.

“In recent days, we’ve been communicating as a unified team,” he noted, adding that the majority of the deal’s implementation would occur after his tenure ended.

Trump was the first to confirm that an agreement had been reached, making the announcement before both the White House and Qatar.

In a subsequent social media post, he tried to claim credit for the “epic” agreement, stating it “could only have occurred because of our historic victory in November.”