Victor EzejaUnited States president, Joe Biden, has expressed optimism that the latest ceasefire reached by Israel and Hamas would halt fighting in Gaza.
Prime Business Africa reports that Israel and Hamas reached a deal for a ceasefire and release of hostages after 15 months of war that started after the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas militants.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAfter the attack in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken hostage, Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and others.
Biden said the deal would not only deescalate tension in Gaza but also pave the way for more humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families.
In a statement released on Wednesday, 15 January, Biden said he laid out the plan for the deal on 31 May 2024 after which it was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council.
He said the plan was “the result not only of the extreme pressure Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and the weakening of Iran – but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy”.
READ ALSO: Israel-Gaza Crisis: Israeli Airstrike Hits Gaza Hospital Courtyard, 4 Dead, Dozens Injured
“Even as we welcome this news, we remember all the families whose loved ones were killed in Hamas’s 7 October attack, and the many innocent people killed in the war that followed.” He added that “It is long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin.”
The agreement will take effect on Sunday, according to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, if the Israeli cabinet gives its final approval.
Although he congratulated Biden for “promoting” the accord, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that the final terms were still being worked out.
Pictures and videos shared on social media showed people cheering and waving Palestinian flags in some parts of Gaza when news of the ceasefire deal emerged.
However, the announcement was trailed by reported Israeli air strikes that killed more than 20 people.
Since the onset of hostilities, more than 46,700 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry run by Hamas.
This has led to displacement of many, destruction of properties and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.
The Ceasefire Proposal
Hamas lead negotiator and acting leader of Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, described the deal as “a milestone in the conflict with the enemy, on the path to achieving our people’s goals of liberation and return.”
The proposed ceasefire will expectedly be implemented in three stages. The first will be a six-week ceasefire deal in which according to Qatar’s prime minister, would lead to 33 hostages – including women, children and elderly people – exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Additionally, hundreds of relief trucks would be permitted daily entry into Gaza, displaced Palestinians will be permitted to start returning to their homes, and Israeli forces will move eastward away from highly populated regions of the enclave.
In the second phase, there will be release of the remaining hostages and a full Israeli troop withdrawal.
The third and last phase will entail the return of any surviving hostages’ bodies as well as the reconstruction of Gaza, which might take years.
Israel’s cabinet is expected to meet on Thursday to give its final approval on the ceasefire deal.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
