After over 15 months of war and prolonged deadlock, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a new ceasefire and hostage release deal, U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday.
The agreement includes a six-week ceasefire, a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza’s populated areas, and the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
“The road to this deal has not been easy. I’ve worked in foreign policy for decades, this is one of the toughest negotiations that I’ve ever experienced,” Biden said from the White House. “I’ve reached this point because … of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas, backed by the United States.”
Biden said from the White House. He credited the breakthrough to sustained U.S. support and Israeli pressure on Hamas. The deal includes the release of women, elderly men, and those injured or ill during the first phase. Biden confirmed that some of the seven Americans held by Hamas are among the hostages to be freed.
Ceasefire Set to Begin Sunday
Mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt, the ceasefire will be implemented in three phases starting Sunday. The truce aims to halt fighting that has devastated Gaza and destabilized the region. This development comes days before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The deal follows the collapse of previous negotiations, including a November 2023 agreement that secured the release of 105 hostages during a weeklong truce. That deal unravelled when fighting resumed.
In the first phase of the current deal, 38 hostages, including five female Israeli soldiers, will be released in exchange for up to 1,000 Palestinian detainees. Israeli forces will also withdraw from key Gaza areas, including city centres, a major coastal road, and a strategic border zone near Egypt.
Further negotiations will determine the implementation of the second phase, expected to begin 16 days after the ceasefire starts. This phase includes additional Israeli withdrawals, the release of remaining hostages, and a shift toward a permanent truce. The final phase will address the repatriation of deceased hostages and Gaza’s reconstruction.
War’s Devastating Toll
The war has claimed more than 46,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, and displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
The conflict has also triggered wider regional instability, including clashes between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen, and escalating tensions with Iran itself. Additionally, the war contributed to the political downfall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
President Biden emphasized the complexity of the deal, stating, “We will keep pushing for a comprehensive resolution, however long it takes.”
Team BharatShakti
(With inputs from Reuters)
