Israel and Hamas have finalised a ceasefire deal to begin on Sunday that could see the fighting in Gaza cease and scores of hostages released on both sides. Source: News.com.au.
US President Joe Biden announced the deal at a press conference at the White House. At the same time, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani also confirmed the plan in Doha.
The deal was brokered by the US and Qatar as well as Egypt, Israel and Hamas.
“Soon the hostages will return home to their families,” Mr Biden said.
Mr Biden said he had laid out, “the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024,” and the deal was as a result of Hamas’ isolation as well as Iran and Hezbollah’s support for Hamas weakening. But also “dogged and painstaking” pressure from the US”.
“It is long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin,” Mr Biden said.
Celebrations have broken out in the Gaza Strip, much of which has been reduced to rubble after the Hamas October 7 attack that killed more than 1200 Israelis.
Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage during the attack, 94 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
That led Israel to declare war on Hamas which has in turn led to the deaths of 47,000 Gazans.
The ceasefire deal is in three parts. Part one will see 33 hostages in Gaza released in exchange for many more Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. It’s not clear how many of those 33 hostages are still alive. That will happen during an initial six week ceasefire. Palestinians in Gaza will also be able to move home, if they have homes.
Within this initial period, Israel will withdraw some troops and huge amounts of aid should flow into Gaza.
A second part of the deal will see the release of all remaining hostages and further Israeli troop withdrawals.
Finally, the reconstruction of Gaza will occur with a new governing authority.
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‘Epic’: Huge update on Israel, Hamas war (By Benedict Brook and AFP, News.com.au)
