A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, marking a critical step toward ending the Gaza war. The announcement was shared by U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch during Sen. Marco Rubio’s confirmation hearing. Risch stated, “Before we all celebrate, though, obviously we’re all going to want to see how well that executes.”
The ceasefire includes a multiphase agreement with an initial six-week phase. During this period, Hamas has pledged to release 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for approximately 1,000 Palestinian detainees. A Palestinian official confirmed the number but noted they were not authorised to speak to the media. Hamas insists on more detainees being released per each hostage freed alive but has not disclosed how many hostages remain alive.
Read more: Gaza Ceasefire Closer than Ever
This agreement follows weeks of indirect negotiations in Doha, Qatar, mediated by U.S., Egypt, and Qatar facilitators. Representatives from President Biden’s administration and President-elect Trump’s team also participated, applying pressure to finalise the deal. Envoys emphasised the urgency of addressing the situation for both sides.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, has claimed over 46,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza health authorities. Most casualties were women and children. Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported 405 soldier deaths. Around 100 hostages were released in a previous deal, with others rescued or found deceased. As global attention focuses on the ceasefire’s execution, families and supporters of hostages continue to rally, urging accountability and swift action.
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