Photo credit: the Guardian
Israel and Hamas have agreed on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal following 15 months of war, according to mediators Qatar and the US.
BBC reports that Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said the agreement would come into effect on Sunday. but the Israeli cabinet must sanction it.
US President Joe Biden said it would “halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal’s final details were still being worked on, but he thanked Biden for “promoting” it. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said it was the result of “Palestinian resilience”.
Many Palestinian and Israeli hostages’ families celebrated the news. However, there was no let-up in the war on the ground in Gaza.
Qatar’s prime minister called for “calm” on both sides before the start of the first six-week phase of the ceasefire deal, which he said would see 33 hostages – including women, children, and elderly people – exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Israeli forces will also withdraw to the east away from densely populated areas f Gaza, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid lorries will be allowed into the territory each day.
The third and final stage will involve the reconstruction of Gaza – something which could take years – and the return of any remaining hostage bodies.
