Israel and Hamas agree to ceasefire deal

After months of negotiations, Israel and Hamas, on Wednesday, reached a ceasefire agreement.

This brings to a halt the conflict between the duo which has lasted 15 months after Hamas launched a surprise attack on the southern part of Israel, leading to the deaths of about 1,200 persons.

In retaliation, Israel has carried out a brutal attack on Gaza, killing over 40,000 people and displacing millions of others. The Israeli invasion has been described as a genocide by some experts, a claim Israel denies, and has led the International Criminal Court to declare Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wanted.

The latest negotiation between Israel and Hamas lasted for months following the failure of an initial attempt at a ceasefire agreement in November 2023.

Israel and Hamas reached the agreement after Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held separate meetings with Hamas and Israeli representatives.

Confirming the agreement, US President Joe Biden said in a statement that the deal would “halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much needed-humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity.”

Also, US President-elect Donald Trump stated that a hostage deal had been reached and hostages held by Hamas would be “released shortly.”

“We have a deal for the hostage in the Middle East. They will be released shortly,” Mr Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media platform.

However, the agreement has not been formally announced by the parties involved.

Release of hostages

The ceasefire agreement is expected to halt the fighting and lead to the release of 33 Israeli hostages and the provision of humanitarian services for victims of the war in Gaza.

Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are set to also be released from Israeli jails at the same time. According to CNN, implementation is likely to start on Sunday with the release of hostages on both sides. 

The release of hostages marks the initial phase of the finalised agreement. Negotiation for the second phase, aimed at ending the war, is expected to begin on the 16th day after the deal’s implementation.

The developments come ahead of President-elect Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

The inauguration date is considered to be a deadline for mediation, given his warning that there would be “hell to pay” if Hamas failed to release Israeli hostages before he takes office.

On Monday, mediators in Egypt presented the final version of the agreement to both parties, including senior officials from Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad.

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Envoys representing both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump had participated in the rounds of negotiations.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the proposed deal was built on a framework introduced by the Biden administration in May.

The Gaza Civil Defense has urged residents to avoid celebratory gunfire as the region anticipates the finalisation of the ceasefire agreement.

The agency warned that such actions could lead to injuries.

“We call upon you to refrain from firing bullets in the air for fear of injuring the displaced people in the tents and shelters,” it said. “We do not want to be saddened by more martyrs and wounded.”