Cease-fire Agreement Between Israel and Hamas Announced
In a pivotal turn of events, Israel and Hamas have come to an agreement for a cease-fire that will pause hostilities in Gaza for a period of six weeks. This truce aims to facilitate the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as announced by President Joe Biden on Wednesday afternoon.
During a press conference, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden revealed that Hamas, along with its militant affiliates, is slated to release 33 hostages who were taken from Israel during the attacks on October 7, 2023. The first batch of hostages is expected to include women, children, and elderly individuals who have been held for over a year.
The initial phase of this agreement will not only enforce a complete cessation of hostilities but will also necessitate the withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas within Gaza. Furthermore, this phase will see the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Biden explained that the second phase of the agreement will concentrate on securing the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza, which includes male soldiers, alongside the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area.
“Today marks a very positive development,” Biden stated, acknowledging the challenges that had to be navigated to reach this deal.
He also noted that his administration worked collaboratively with advisors from the previous Trump administration to bring this agreement to fruition. “The implementation will primarily be the responsibility of the next administration,” Biden remarked. “In recent days, we have functioned as a unified team.”
As the news of the ceasefire started to spread on Wednesday morning, President-elect Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share his views, stating, “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!”
According to reports from the Associated Press, Hamas intends to release three hostages on the first day of the ceasefire, followed by four more on the seventh day. Additional releases will occur weekly, with the initial group of 33 hostages comprising five female Israeli soldiers, each to be exchanged for 50 Palestinian detainees, including 30 militants serving life sentences.
Earlier on Wednesday, Biden attributed the success of the negotiations to multiple factors, such as the “intense pressure on Hamas,” the “declining influence of Iran” in the region, and “consistent and thorough American diplomacy.”
This announcement arrives amid alarming reports from UNICEF, revealing that at least 74 children lost their lives in the Gaza Strip during the first week of 2025.
“Children have tragically been killed in numerous mass casualty incidents, particularly during nighttime strikes in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and Al Mawasi, a designated ‘safe zone’ in the southern region,” UNICEF reported. “The most recent incident occurred yesterday, claiming the lives of five children in Al Mawasi.”
Biden indicated that the third phase of the agreement would focus on a “comprehensive reconstruction initiative” for Gaza, in addition to ensuring the return of the remains of any hostages who were killed.
However, some officials within Israel have cautioned that the specific details of the agreement are still in the process of being finalized, as indicated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
