Egypt, Qatar, and the US brokered the Gaza ceasefire deal set to begin this Sunday, after a week of intense negotiations with Israel and Hamas. This deal comes as a relief for Palestinians who have been caught in 15 months of war in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attack. The Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani confirmed the agreement at a press conference in Doha. He said the Gaza ceasefire deal comes into effect on January 19.
According to the agreement, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages over the first 42 days of the ceasefire. The Gaza-based militant group will prioritize the release of women and children hostages, as well as those captives over 50 years of age. Israel will withdraw its forces from Gaza and release 30 Palestinian women and children prisoners. Hamas will also release bodies of those who died.
Moreover, international aid groups like UN organizations will resume operations in the besieged Gaza Strip. However, the Benjamin Netanyahu-led Israeli government is not happy with the ceasefire deal. It said several clauses have yet to be agreed upon. Hardline members of the government have opposed the agreement.
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Joe Biden Applauds Gaza Ceasefire Deal
US President Joe Biden attributed the Gaza ceasefire deal to many months of intense diplomacy led by the United States with Egypt and Qatar. He said the latest deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, bring about much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, release and reunite the hostages with their loved ones. Biden believes there is no other way for the war to end than with a hostage deal.
He added that the agreement was developed and negotiated under his administration, but will largely be implemented by the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump applauded the ceasefire deal as an EPIC agreement. He said it only came about with the Republican’s Historic Victory in November 2024.
“It signaled to the entire world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones,” Trump said.
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Hamas Decries Genocide Amid Gaza Ceasefire Deal
Meanwhile, Hamas political bureau chief Khalil Al-Hayya spotlighted the genocide in Gaza, saying the people of Palestine will not forget anyone who took part in the war. He said the Israeli occupation and its supporters committed brutal genocidal war to Nazi-like crimes in Gaza. Khalil said this will remain etched in their memories and the world that bore witness to the most heinous genocide of the modern era.
Palestinians are rejoicing the latest ceasefire deal and hope that it will help bring much-needed peace to Gaza and the region. They want to start life afresh.
