- The ceasefire agreement brokered by Egypt, Qatar and America is divided into three phases. Phase 1 will see a complete ceasefire; Withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza; the release of hostages, including Americans, women, and the elderly; The return of Palestinian civilians to their neighborhoods and an increase in humanitarian assistance.
- The second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement will bring a permanent end to the war. The remaining surviving hostages would be exchanged; Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza; The temporary ceasefire becomes permanent.
- The third and final phase of the ceasefire will include a major reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the last remains of hostages to their families.
- Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani hopes that the announcement of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza will “contribute to ending aggression, destruction and killing in the Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories and starting a new phase.” He said Qatar’s diplomatic role in reaching a ceasefire was its “humanitarian duty before political”.
- US President Joe Biden commented that it was one of the toughest negotiations he had ever experienced. “The road to this agreement has not been easy. I have worked in foreign policy for decades – this is one of the most difficult negotiations I have ever experienced. And we have reached this point because of the pressure that Israel The United States,” he said. The outgoing US President said that he presented the exact outline of the plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council.
- The ceasefire agreement comes five days before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office, who has threatened that “everything will collapse” if the hostages are not released by then. Mr Trump took full credit for the agreement, saying, “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could only have happened as a result of our historic victory in November.”
- US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller praised US President-elect Donald Trump’s team’s “crucial” role in brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas. Thanking the Trump team for working on the ceasefire agreement, he said, “We think it’s important that they were at the table. It shows when Americans are willing to work together across partisan lines, as We were prepared to take this opportunity to do more because it is in the national interest of the United States.”
- Gaza’s civil defense agency said at least 20 people were killed in Israeli strikes following the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday. Agency spokesman Mahmoud Bassal told AFP that several attacks took place in the area, killing at least 20 people, including 18 in Gaza City. “The raids have not stopped despite the ceasefire announcement”, he said.
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog convened the cabinet to approve the ceasefire agreement. Saying that the state had “failed in its duty” to prevent the October 7 attacks, Mr. Herzog called for it to improve. “This is the right step. This is an important step. This is a necessary step. There is no greater moral, humanitarian, Jewish or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us – whether recovered at home, or Let us rest,” he said.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the release of hostages. He praised the mediators – Egypt, Qatar and the US – for their efforts to broker the deal. “Our priority must be to alleviate the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict. I call on all to facilitate prompt, unhindered and safe humanitarian relief for civilians in need. For our part, we take into account the serious Keeping this in mind, we will do whatever is humanly possible.” The challenges we face, he wrote in a social media post on Twitter.
