Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal. This comes after more than 15 months of fighting, marking a significant step toward ending one of the region’s most violent conflicts in recent years.
Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, announced the deal Wednesday, January 15th, in Doha, crediting mediation efforts by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The agreement is now awaiting approval from the Israeli government.
The ceasefire is set to begin on Sunday, January 19th. The initial six-week phase will see Israeli forces withdraw from certain areas of the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi corridor. This withdrawal aims to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
🇶🇦🇵🇸H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that joint mediation efforts have successfully led to a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip conflict.
🔊During a press conference on… pic.twitter.com/itESQ7ghvW
— ILoveQatar – Live (@ILQLive) January 15, 2025
Per the agreement, Hamas will commence the phased release of 33 Israeli hostages within the initial 42 days of the ceasefire. The release plan entails freeing the first three hostages on day one, followed by four on the seventh day. Afterward, three hostages will be released every seven days. The final 14 are set to be freed in the first phase’s final week.
The remaining 65 hostages will only be released if the sides agree to a second phase of the truce. Negotiations are expected to begin around two weeks into the ceasefire.
Israel will free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange, Israeli media reported.
Release of hostages and border crossings
Hamas representatives in Doha stated that the agreement includes the reopening of the Rafah border crossing to allow international aid into Gaza. Coordination is underway on the Palestinian side of the crossing, according to an Egyptian security source.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed progress on addressing disputes related to the Philadelphi corridor but acknowledged that some provisions of the agreement remain unresolved. Negotiators are working to finalize these details by Wednesday night.
Qatar’s Prime Minister says the agreement’s second and third phases will be determined after the first phase is successfully implemented.
Today, after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal.
My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done – I will speak more about this soon. pic.twitter.com/iETWhGXEGA
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 15, 2025
U.S. President Joe Biden called the agreement a potential turning point, noting that the second phase aims to bring a “permanent end to the war.”
Devastating impact of the conflict
The war began after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and has caused widespread devastation. More than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza, and nearly 110,000 have been injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-overseen Health Ministry.
Over 14,000 children and 8,000 women are among the dead. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported killing more than 15,000 Hamas combatants during the conflict. The Oct. 7 attack that sparked this war left over 1,200 Israelis dead and 253 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
Hamas released more than 100 hostages during a previous ceasefire in late November 2023, while Israel freed over 200 Palestinian prisoners. Several hostages have since been released, and the remains of others have been recovered. As of early January, Israeli officials reported that 94 abductees remain in Gaza, including 34 confirmed dead.
Hamas has urged Palestinians to remain alert and rely on official announcements for updates on the ceasefire.
News of the agreement sparked celebrations in both Gaza and Israel, as many expressed hope for a path toward lasting peace.
Palestinians celebrate in Gaza streets as news of the ceasefire deal emerges.
The agreement signals hope for peace after months of devastating conflict.#Gaza #Ceasefire pic.twitter.com/cUCwP9rekc
— British Pakistani Index (@PakistaniIndex) January 15, 2025