The 15-month Gaza war came to an end Wednesday night as Israel and Hamas struck a historic ceasefire agreement. The three-phase ceasefire agreement calls for the release of hostages, the departure of Israeli forces from Gaza, and a total ceasefire.
Ten recent developments regarding the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas:
There are three stages to the ceasefire agreement negotiated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. A total ceasefire, Israeli forces leaving populous areas of Gaza, the release of hostages, including women, elderly people, and Americans, the repatriation of Palestinian citizens to their neighborhoods, and an increase in humanitarian aid are all part of Phase 1.
The war will end permanently in the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. Israeli soldiers will leave Gaza; the temporary ceasefire will be extended; and the remaining captives will be traded.
The release of the last remaining captive remains to their families and a comprehensive plan for Gaza’s rehabilitation will be the third and last component of the peace.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, the prime minister of Qatar, expects that the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza will “contribute to ending the aggression, destruction and killing in the strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, and to starting a new phase.” According to him, Qatar’s “humanitarian duty before the political one” is its diplomatic role in achieving the peace.
According to US President Joe Biden, these negotiations were among the most difficult he has ever encountered. “Getting to this agreement hasn’t been simple. This has been one of the most difficult negotiations I have ever encountered in my decades of working in international policy. And the United States-backed pressure that Israel put on Hamas is what got us to this position,” he continued. According to the departing US President, the UN Security Council unanimously approved this plan when he outlined its specifics on May 31, 2024.
Donald Trump, the US president-elect, had vowed that “all hell would break out” if the hostages were not freed by the time of the ceasefire agreement, which was reached five days before his inauguration. The agreement was credited entirely to Mr. Trump, who stated, “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November.”
US President-elect Donald Trump’s team played a “critical” role in mediating a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, according to US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller. “We think it’s important that they were at the table,” he said, thanking the Trump team for their efforts on the ceasefire accord. It demonstrates how much can be accomplished when Americans are prepared to cooperate across party lines, as we were on this particular occasion because it serves the interests of the US as a whole.”
Following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, Israeli strikes killed at least 20 civilians, according to Gaza’s civil defense service. At least 20 people have been killed across the territory by multiple strikes, including 18 in Gaza City, according to agency spokesperson Mahmud Bassal, who spoke to AFP. According to him, the raids “did not stop despite the announcement of the truce”
To get the ceasefire accord approved, Israeli President Isaac Herzog summoned the cabinet. Mr. Herzog asked for a correction, stating that the state had “failed in its duty” to stop the October 7 attacks. “This is the appropriate action. This is a crucial action. This is an essential action. “Bringing our sons and daughters back to us—whether to recover at home or to be laid to rest—is the greatest moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation,” he stated.
The agreement for a truce and the release of captives in Gaza has been praised by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He praised the United States, Qatar, and Egypt as mediators for their efforts in negotiating this agreement. “Relieving the immense suffering brought on by this conflict must be our top concern. I urge everyone to help provide quick, unimpeded, and secure humanitarian aid to all needy civilians. “Aware of the significant obstacles we will face, we will do everything within our power,” he stated in a social media post on X.
