After a devastating 15-month conflict that claimed tens of thousands of lives, Israel and Hamas have reached a historic ceasefire agreement. The deal, facilitated by the Biden administration, aims to halt the bloodshed and pave the way for the release of hostages. The agreement includes multiple phases, starting with a six-week ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated Gaza areas. It is hoped that the subsequent phases will lead to a permanent end to the war and the return of all remaining hostages.
After more than 15 months of catastrophic fighting and tens of thousands of deaths, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement, announced by the White House on Wednesday. This agreement, hailed as a major breakthrough in the Middle East, aims to stop the bloodshed and facilitate the release of some of the remaining hostages. 'At long last, I can announce a cease-fire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas ,' President Joe Biden stated on Wednesday afternoon.
In a written statement, he outlined that the agreement would bring an end to the fighting in Gaza, allow for the influx of much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and ultimately reunite hostages with their families. On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other militants, as part of a coordinated terror attack against Israel, kidnapped 251 people. This attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths across Israel. As of Tuesday, Hamas and its allies are still holding 98 hostages, according to an Israeli government spokesperson, although it is believed that at least 34 of them have perished in captivity. The deal, which Israel has yet to formally approve, is structured in multiple phases. The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated, 'Several items in the framework have yet to be finalized; we hope that the details will be finalized tonight.' The initial stage of the agreement anticipates the release of 33 hostages, most of whom are alive, on 'humanitarian' grounds, the Israeli spokesperson revealed during a briefing. This group consists of women, children, the elderly, and hostages who are suffering from illness. In response to inquiries regarding the number of imprisoned Palestinians Israel is willing to release in exchange, the spokesperson indicated that the country 'is prepared to pay a heavy price, in the hundreds.' The Israeli military confirmed that it is actively preparing for the return of the hostages. Qatar's prime minister announced that the agreement will take effect on January 19. Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, informed reporters that the first phase of the agreement entails a full ceasefire. It is projected to last for six weeks and will involve the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas within Gaza. A second phase, still under negotiation, would pave the way for a 'permanent end' to the war. Biden stated that this phase would involve the release of the remaining living hostages as the rest of the Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza. In the third phase, any remains of hostages who have been killed would be returned to their families, initiating a substantial reconstruction plan for Gaza. To date, 117 hostages have been returned alive to Israel, including 105 who were freed as part of a prisoner exchange in November 2023. The ceasefire agreement aims to bring an end to the ongoing conflict, which has resulted in the destruction of vast areas of Gaza and left the militant group significantly weakened. The Hamas-run health ministry claims that Israel's military offensive in Gaza has claimed the lives of more than 46,000 people. Negotiations for a ceasefire agreement have been ongoing for several months, but news that Israel and Hamas were nearing a resolution emerged earlier this week, suggesting that progress was finally being made. The deal comes in the final days of the Biden administration, which has been actively involved in the negotiations to secure framework approval. President-elect Donald Trump asserted that his victory in November directly contributed to the agreement's fruition. 'We have achieved so much without even being in the White House,' he wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform
CEASEFIRE HAMAS ISRAEL HOSTAGES MIDDLE EAST BIDENT ADMINISTRATION GAZA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS CONFLICT RESOLUTION
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