Israel and Hamas have tentatively agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, ending a devastating 15-month conflict in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of an end to the longest-running fighting. deadliest and most destructive among bitter enemies.
The agreement, which comes after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the gradual release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people to be displaced in Gaza to return to their country. what remains of their homes. It would also lead to an influx of much-needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory.
Three U.S. officials and one from Hamas confirmed a deal had been reached, while a senior Israeli official said details were still being worked out.
The three American officials requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the agreement before the official announcement by mediators in Doha.
President Joe Biden was preparing to address the breakthrough deal later Thursday, officials said.
The deal still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, but is expected to come into force in the coming days.
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The Israeli government will vote on a ceasefire agreement in Gaza on Thursday, a government official told Reuters.
The agreement should result in an initial six-week cessation of fighting, which should be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on a total end to the war.
For six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages must be reunited with their loved ones after months of captivity without contact with the outside world, although it is not clear if all are alive.
It is unclear when and how many displaced Palestinians will be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement will lead to a complete end to the conflict and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza – Hamas’ main demands for the release of Palestinians. Israeli troops. remaining captive.
Many long-term questions about Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction.
Yet the announcement offers the first sign of hope in months that Israel and Hamas could end the deadliest and most destructive war they have ever waged, a conflict that has destabilized the entire Middle East. East and sparked global protests.
Hamas sparked the conflict with its cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a ferocious offensive that killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas health officials, displaced about 90% of Gaza’s population and sparked a humanitarian crisis.
More than 100 hostages were released from Gaza during a week-long truce in November 2023.
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