New Delhi:
Israel and Hamas reached a historic ceasefire on Wednesday evening to end the 15-month war in Gaza. The ceasefire, which is structured in three phases, includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the release of hostages.
10 latest developments on the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas:
- The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the US, is divided into three phases. Phase 1 will see a complete ceasefire; withdrawal of Israeli troops from populated areas in Gaza; release of hostages, including Americans, women and the elderly; return of Palestinian civilians to their neighborhoods and an increase in humanitarian aid.
- The second phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will mark a definitive end to the war. The remaining living hostages will be exchanged; Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza; temporary ceasefire becomes permanent.
- The third and final phase of the ceasefire includes a major reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the last remains of the hostages to their families.
- Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani hopes that the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza “will contribute to ending the aggression, destruction and killings in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, and starting a new phase.” He said Qatar's diplomatic role in reaching the ceasefire is its “humanitarian duty before the political one.”
- US President Joe Biden noted that this was one of the toughest negotiations he has ever seen. “The road to this agreement has not been easy. I've worked in foreign policy for decades – this has been one of the toughest negotiations I've ever seen. And we have reached this point because of the pressure that Israel has put on Hamas, backed by the United States,” he said. The outgoing US president said he laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was unanimously approved by the UN Security Council.
- The ceasefire comes five days before the inauguration of newly elected US President Donald Trump, who had threatened that “all hell would break loose” if the hostages were not released by then. Mr Trump has taken full credit for the agreement, saying: “This EPIC ceasefire deal could only have come about as a result of our historic victory in November.”
- US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller praised the “critical” role of newly-elected US President Donald Trump's team in brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas. He thanked the Trump team for working on the ceasefire and said, “We think it's important that they had a seat at the table. It shows that when Americans are willing to work together across party lines, as we were willing to do on this occasion because it is in the national interest of the United States, much can be done.”
- At least 20 people have been killed in Israeli attacks after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was announced on Wednesday, Gaza's civil defense agency said. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that several attacks hit the area, killing at least 20 people, including 18 in Gaza City. The raids “did not stop despite the ceasefire announcement,” he said.
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on the cabinet to approve the ceasefire. Herzog stated that the state had “failed in its duty” to prevent the October 7 attacks and called for this to be corrected. “This is the right step. This is an important step. This is a necessary step. “There is no greater moral, human, Jewish or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us – whether to recuperate at home or to rest,” he said.
- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza. He praised the mediators – Egypt, Qatar and the US – for their efforts in brokering this deal. “Our priority must be to alleviate the enormous suffering caused by this conflict. I call on everyone to facilitate rapid, unhindered and safe humanitarian assistance to all citizens in need. For our part, we will do everything humanly possible, mindful of the serious consequences challenges we will face,” he wrote in a social media post on X.
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