An official informed news agency Reuters on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the 15-month-long war that has claimed more than 46,000 lives in Gaza thus far.
The conflict that began on October 7, 2023, following the rocket assault by Hamas militants on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians and has kept the Middle East in a state of tension throughout this period.
According to the news report, the agreement between the combatant factions stipulates a six-week initial ceasefire period, which will feature a coordinated withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a swap of hostages taken by both sides. The ceasefire has not been officially declared yet.
The ceasefire came following several months of discussions and negotiations facilitated by Egypt and Qatar, with backing from the US. Notably, the agreement was reached just days before US President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration.
Also read: Stricter pollution curbs under GRAP-4 reinstated in Delhi as air quality worsens
Quoting Hamas, Reuters additionally reported that the Palestinian militant organization’s delegation had sent approval for the ceasefire agreement and release of captives.
As stated by a Palestinian official who requested to remain unnamed, Hamas had previously indicated verbally its agreement to the ceasefire arrangement and the conditions for the return of hostages as discussed in negotiations in Qatar, prior to providing official written consent.
At the same time, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced he was returning to Israel from a European trip halfway through to ensure his presence for the security cabinet and government votes on the ceasefire deal with Hamas.
The Israeli assault on Gaza followed Hamas fighters breaching Israeli neighborhoods, breaking through security defenses on October 7, 2023, and resulting in the deaths of approximately 12,000 military personnel and civilians. During the assault, the attackers also held approximately 250 individuals captive.
The health ministry in Gaza reports that over 46,000 individuals have died since October 2023 due to the Israeli military actions in Gaza, with hundreds of thousands displaced to tents and temporary recovery camps.
