ALBAWABA-ALBAWABA - A historic ceasefire agreement was reached on Jan. 15 between the Hamas movement and Israel ending the war which has been ongoing for 467 days. Celebrations were marked across Gaza after the announcement of the ceasefire deal.
The agreement's first phase will include a humanitarian protocol overseen by mediators, allowing wounded individuals from the Gaza Strip to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Israel will release approximately 2,000 prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences. During this phase, the Israeli army will pull back to 700 meters inside the Gaza border and gradually reduce its presence in the Philadelphi corridor, with a complete withdrawal planned in subsequent stages.
Mediators increased their efforts to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza before the inauguration ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump, scheduled on Jan. 20. Brett McGurk, Trump's envoy to the Middle East, attended ceasefire talks in Doha, Qatar to fasten the deal.
After the final rounds of talks in Doha, the spokesperson of the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Majed al-Ansari said: "A draft agreement has been handed to both Hamas and Israel and major obstacles on key contentious issues between the two sides have been addressed.
Earlier, the US President-elect threatened that “all hell will break out in the Middle East” if Hamas does not release the Israeli hostages before Jan. 20.
A deal was reached today ending the war that started on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters entered Israel and took over 200 hostages in an operation called "al-Aqsa Flood." In response, Israel also announced an operation against Hamas.
Biden uncovered in a Monday press conference that the ceasefire deal will lead to "the release of the hostages (Israeli detainees), a cessation of fighting, providing security for Israel and increasing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians."
Biden said on X: "I spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday to discuss ongoing negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. My Administration is working hard to try and reach a deal to bring hostages home, end this war, and bring immediate relief to Palestinians in Gaza."
