Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza after 15 months of conflict, according to mediators Qatar and the US.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani announced that the agreement would take effect on Sunday, pending approval by the Israeli cabinet.
US President Joe Biden said the agreement would “stop the fighting in Gaza, provide much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that the final details of the agreement were still being finalized, but expressed his gratitude to Biden for his participation in facilitating it. Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya credited the agreement for the resilience of the Palestinian people.
While many Palestinians and families of Israeli hostages celebrated the announcement, conflict continues on the ground in Gaza. The Hamas-run Civil Protection Agency reported that Israeli airstrikes following the Qatari announcement killed more than 20 people, including 12 civilians in a residential building in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City. The Israeli military has not yet commented on these claims.
October 7, 2023 Israel launches a campaign to destroy Hamas – designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the US and others – after an unprecedented cross-border attack that killed nearly 1,200 people And 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 46,700 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with widespread displacement, destruction and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter, as efforts to deliver aid to those in need have been disrupted.
Israel currently reports that 94 hostages are still held by Hamas, with 34 presumed dead. Additionally, four Israelis were kidnapped before the war, two of whom have since died.
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