A significant breakthrough has been achieved in the Middle East conflict, with Israel and Hamas agreeing to a truce and the release of hostages. This development brings an end to 15 months of war that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza.
The breakthrough in negotiations came just days before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the President of the United States. Despite the stalemate in indirect talks, recent days saw a surge in progress.
News of the agreement was first shared by Donald Trump on his Truth Social network, ahead of confirmation from the current US administration. “We have an agreement for the release of the hostages in the Middle East. They will soon be released. Thank you,” he wrote.
According to sources close to the negotiations, the agreement was reached following a meeting between the Qatari Prime Minister and Hamas negotiators, as well as separate talks with Israeli negotiators. Talks were held in Doha, promoted by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt.
Residents of the Gaza Strip celebrated the announcement, with scenes of jubilation reported by AFP journalists. The agreed ceasefire aims to bring an end to the relentless shelling and clashes in the territory, sparked by a Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
The agreement involves a phased release of hostages. Initially, 33 hostages will be freed in exchange for 1,000 Palestinians detained by Israel. They are expected to be released in groups, starting with children and women. The second phase will involve the release of remaining hostages, including male soldiers and the bodies of murdered hostages.
“An agreement has been reached regarding the conditions under which our 98 kidnapped people, who have been held for over 15 months, will be released. Today is a day of joy for the families of all Israelis and the entire free world,” said Roni Kaplan, Israeli Army spokesperson.
Those to be released include women, children, and the elderly. Kaplan added, “There were 251 kidnapped, 98 remain. We know that not all of them are alive. At least we know that 37 are not alive, the rest we do not know that they are not.”
SOURCE: AFP