Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal.

 

Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, following 15 months of conflict, according to mediators Qatar and the United States.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani announced that the deal is set to take effect on Sunday, pending Israeli cabinet approval. U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that the agreement would "halt the fighting in Gaza, provide critical humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude to President Biden for his support while noting that final details of the agreement were still being worked out. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya attributed the deal to Palestinian "resilience."

While the announcement brought celebrations among Palestinians and families of Israeli hostages, fighting on the ground in Gaza persisted. The Hamas-run Civil Defence agency reported Israeli airstrikes had killed over 20 people, including 12 residents of a Gaza City neighborhood. The Israeli military did not immediately comment.

The conflict traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented cross-border attack, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel, in response, began a military campaign to dismantle Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S., and other nations.

According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, more than 46,700 people have died since the conflict began. The territory's 2.3 million residents face widespread destruction, displacement, and severe shortages of essentials like food, fuel, and medicine.

As part of the agreement, the initial six-week phase will involve the release of 33 hostages, including women, children, and the elderly, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Israeli forces will also withdraw from densely populated areas in Gaza, allow displaced Palestinians to return home, and permit hundreds of aid trucks to enter daily.

Subsequent phases will address the release of remaining hostages, a full Israeli troop withdrawal, and long-term peace efforts. The final stage will focus on Gaza's reconstruction and the return of any remaining hostages' bodies.

The Israeli cabinet is set to convene on Thursday morning for final approval. Although the ceasefire and the release of the first hostages are anticipated on Sunday, a senior Hamas official indicated ongoing efforts to expedite the process to Thursday night.

Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt, who jointly brokered the deal, are tasked with ensuring compliance from both sides. Sheikh Mohammed expressed hope that the agreement marks the war's end, urging all parties to honor its terms.

Israeli attacks persisted in Gaza overnight, including in Jabalia (pictured), despite the ceasefire deal scheduled to take effect on Sunday.

President Biden described the plan, introduced eight months ago, as "the outcome of immense pressure on Hamas, shifts in the regional dynamics following the Lebanon ceasefire, and the weakening of Iran, coupled with persistent and meticulous American diplomacy."

In a statement, he added, "While we welcome this development, we honor the memory of the families who lost loved ones during Hamas's attack on October 7 and the many innocent lives lost in the ensuing conflict. The time has come to end the violence and focus on building peace and security."

Later, during a news conference, Biden acknowledged the role of President-elect Donald Trump, who had urged the release of hostages before his inauguration on Monday. "Over the past few days, we’ve worked as one team," Biden said, noting that most of the deal’s implementation would occur after he left office.

Trump was the first to confirm the agreement, making the announcement ahead of both the White House and Qatar. In a subsequent social media post, he claimed credit for the "historic" deal, stating it "could only have been achieved due to our decisive victory in November."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office expressed gratitude to President Trump "for his efforts in facilitating the release of the hostages and for helping to ease the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families."

The statement added, "The prime minister emphasized his commitment to securing the return of all the hostages by any means necessary" and noted that he had also thanked President Biden.

Later, the office announced that an official statement from Netanyahu would be issued only after finalizing the details of the agreement, which were still under discussion.

Israel’s President, Isaac Herzog, acknowledged that the agreement would involve "deeply painful" moments and "significant challenges" but affirmed that it was "the right decision."

The deal is expected to gain approval from the Israeli cabinet, potentially as early as Thursday morning, despite opposition from Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners. Following cabinet approval, the names of the Palestinian prisoners slated for release will be published, granting victims’ families 48 hours to file appeals. Some of these prisoners are serving life sentences for murder and terrorism convictions.

Hamas's chief negotiator and acting Gaza leader, Khalil al-Hayya, described the agreement as "a milestone in the conflict with the enemy, paving the way toward achieving our people's goals of liberation and return." He emphasized the group’s focus on "rebuilding Gaza, alleviating the suffering, and healing the wounds."

However, al-Hayya issued a warning, stating, "We will not forget, and we will not forgive" the hardships endured by Palestinians in Gaza.

Joyous celebrations broke out across Gaza as news of the agreement quickly spread.

As news of the agreement broke, images showed people celebrating, cheering, and waving Palestinian flags in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah and the southern city of Khan Younis.

Sanabel, a 17-year-old girl from Gaza City, shared her joy with BBC OS, saying, "All of us are delighted. We have been waiting for this for a long time. Finally, I will put my head on my pillow without worrying... It is time to heal."

Nawara al-Najjar, whose husband was among more than 70 people killed during an Israeli operation to rescue two hostages, expressed hope for her children’s future. "After the ceasefire, I want to give my children the best life," she said. "I want them to move past the fear we lived through. The terror has settled in their hearts."

Supporters of the Israeli hostages' families also celebrated in Tel Aviv.

Sharone Lifschitz, a British-Israeli woman, is still waiting for news about her 84-year-old father, Oded, who remains among the hostages. Her mother, Yocheved, was also abducted during the 7 October attack but was released after weeks in captivity.

Speaking to the BBC in London as news of the deal broke, Lifschitz described it as "like a bit of sanity" but acknowledged the slim chances for her father. "He's an elderly man, but miracles do happen. My mum did come back, and one way or another, we will know. We will know if he's still with u if we can look after him," she said.

She added a sobering note: "There are more graves to come and traumatized people to come back, but we will look after them and help them see light again. May this be the start of something better."

Moshe Lavi, the brother-in-law of Omri Miran, a 47-year-old father of two young children, called it "a very mixed day for most families of hostages." Speaking to the BBC, he said, "We want to see our families come home from their mass captivity. But we also understand that this is a phase deal—only the first phase has been agreed upon."

He emphasized the need to continue advocating, stating, "We'll have to keep fighting, keep pushing as families, with all leaders and with our own government, to ensure that all the hostages are released."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the importance of alleviating the suffering caused by the conflict, stating, "The priority now must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict."