Israel and Hamas have announced a multiphase ceasefire agreement aimed at concluding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, as confirmed by President Biden and the Prime Minister of Qatar on Wednesday.
President Biden stated, “This agreement will halt the hostilities in Gaza, facilitate the delivery of crucial humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and enable the reunion of hostages with their families after more than 15 months of captivity.”
He noted that this agreement aligns with a proposal he presented in May 2024, which received endorsement from the United Nations Security Council.
While neither Israel nor Hamas has formally confirmed the agreement, officials familiar with the negotiations informed NPR that both parties have reached a tentative ceasefire intended to bring an end to more than 15 months of unprecedented conflict between them.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that there remain “several unresolved points,” but expressed optimism that “the details will be finalized tonight.”
This agreement follows several weeks of intense indirect negotiations held in Doha, Qatar, involving mediation from representatives of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar.
In a notable development, envoys representing both President Biden’s administration and the incoming team of President-elect Donald Trump engaged in crucial discussions, applying significant pressure on the involved parties to reach a comprehensive agreement.
The anticipated timeline for the deal’s implementation is set to commence this Sunday. According to officials from both the United States and Qatar, there is optimism that the final details will be ironed out by Wednesday night, as conveyed by a statement from Netanyahu’s office.
A pressing concern remains the fate of the hostages, with nearly 100 individuals still held captive within the tumultuous confines of Gaza.
Israeli military assessments indicate that at least a third of these captives may have already succumbed.
The proposed agreement unfolds in three distinct phases, beginning with the release of 33 women, children, elderly individuals, and wounded civilians from Gaza, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children currently incarcerated by Israeli authorities.
The subsequent phase would see the release of soldiers and other male captives.
The implications of this deal on the ongoing conflict are profound. If realized, the agreement could provide a much-needed reprieve for the beleaguered Gaza Strip, a region ravaged by Israel’s military offensive, which has turned swathes of the area into ruins and displaced approximately 90% of its 2.3 million residents.
Many of these individuals are now facing the dire threat of famine, underscoring the urgent humanitarian crisis at hand.