Jerusalem (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Israel’s cabinet authorized an agreement with Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated.
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office issued a brief statement:
“The Government has approved the framework for the return of the hostages. The framework for the hostages’ release will come into effect on Sunday,”
according to Reuters.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement:
An Israel-Hamas agreement has been made and accepted and will take place this Sunday, January 21, 2025. It follows over 460 days of conflict, designed to be used to put a stop to all the fighting between both sides but allow the exchanging of hostages for prisoners. During this ceasefire period, which shall begin at a six-week interval, hostages captured by Hamas shall be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners currently imprisoned in Israeli facilities. The initial group reportedly includes 33 Israeli hostages, to be released gradually in the coming weeks.
Qatar’s government actively participated in providing negotiation channels between Israel and Hamas. The Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, announced the deal in question, which will be critical for humanitarian access and hostage swap.
The United States government was part of the negotiations; the two involved parties were President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He hoped that the ceasefire would eventually bring an end to violence while paving the way for humanitarian assistance.
The agreement also grants humanitarian aid to Gaza, and over 500 trucks were introduced into Gaza over the course of the truce. The accord would then discuss a more definite settlement for the war by planning the phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from some areas of Gaza.
