After over 15 months of Israel’s US-backed genocidal war on Gaza, Israel and Hamas have reached a hostage and ceasefire deal, an agreement first announced by President-elect Donald Trump.
Hamas confirmed on Wednesday that it approved the deal and Israeli officials have said an agreement was reached, though it still needs to be formally approved by the Israeli government, which is expected to happen on Thursday.
According to a source speaking to NBC News, Israel’s Supreme Court would then have 24 hours to appeal the decision, which means the earliest the ceasefire can officially start is Friday.
According to media reports, the deal involves three phases meant to lead to a permanent end to the conflict and the reconstruction of Gaza. However, details of the second and third phases still need to be negotiated, and Israel could potentially restart military operations after the first phase.
The first phase involves a 42-day ceasefire during which Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages. In exchange, Israel is expected to release hundreds or possibly thousands of Palestinian prisoners, and Israeli troops will withdraw within one kilometer of the Gaza border, an area where the IDF has destroyed every building to create a so-called “buffer zone.” Aid will also be surged into Gaza with 600 trucks expected to enter the Strip per day.
“WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, a post that came before any official statement from President Biden or his administration.
In another post, Trump wrote, “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies.”
The president-elect continued, “With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.”
According to Israeli media, the pressure Witkoff put on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is what led to the deal. The Biden administration had refused to put any real pressure on Netanyahu, allowing him to sabotage previous efforts.
Palestinians in Gaza are celebrating the news of a ceasefire. “The happiness is literally eternal. Gaza’s streets are erupting. The tears of everyone, the joy,” Abubaker Abed, a journalist in Gaza, wrote on X. “I lost the words.”
Ahead of the news, Israel ramped up airstrikes on Gaza. According to the Health Ministry’s daily update, Israeli strikes killed 62 Palestinians and wounded 253 in the previous 24-hour period. According to Abed, two journalists were among those killed by Israel on Wednesday.
