After months of deadly conflict, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement and a deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza, brokered by Qatar. The announcement came amidst international pressure and efforts by mediators to end the war, which has resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides.
Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement and a deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza following separate meetings with Qatar 's prime minister, a source familiar with the negotiations told AFP. The agreement came after months of unsuccessful attempts to end the deadliest war in Gaza 's history and amidst intensifying efforts by mediators Qatar , Egypt, and the United States.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani played a pivotal role, meeting with Hamas negotiators in his office for a final push to secure the deal. A source briefed on the talks later confirmed to AFP that a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement was reached following the Qatari PM's meetings with both Hamas and Israeli negotiators.US President-elect Donald Trump, before the official announcement, hailed the deal on his Truth Social network, stating, 'We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!' Trump had previously warned Hamas of 'hell to pay' if it did not release the remaining captives before his inauguration. Representatives from both his incoming administration and President Joe Biden's outgoing administration were present at the latest negotiations.The conflict, which began with Hamas' deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage during the attack, with 94 still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military believes are dead. Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has claimed the lives of 46,707 people, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry considered reliable by the UN. Previous rounds of talks had faced challenges due to disagreements over the duration of the ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, and the scale of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territory. The UN's Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, facing an impending Israeli ban on its activities, stated its commitment to providing essential aid. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who pledged to crush Hamas in retaliation for the October 7 attack, has opposed any post-war role for the militant group in the territory. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed hope that Israel would eventually accept a reunited Gaza and West Bank under a reformed Palestinian Authority and embrace a path toward an independent Palestinian state. He emphasized that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia remains the most potent incentive for achieving Israeli-Palestinian peace. Meanwhile, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, speaking in Oslo, asserted that the international pressure exerted on Israel 'does pay off'
CEASEFIRE HAMAS ISRAEL QATAR HOSTAGE RELEASE GAZA MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT DONALD TRUMP US FOREIGN POLICY
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