A ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel marks the end of more than a year of conflict that caused widespread casualties and destruction.
Officially called into effect on Jan. 19, the agreement was outlined based on the principles outlined by former President Joe Biden and mediated by U.S., Qatar and Egypt representatives, offering hope for a humanitarian response to the ongoing crisis.
The conflict resulted in the deaths of nearly 43,000 people and the displacement of half of Gaza’s population over the past 15 months, according to the United Nations.
Under the ceasefire agreement, The Times reported that Hamas committed to releasing 33 Israeli hostages over a 42-day period.
The first phase began with the release of four female Israeli soldiers—Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, according to The Washington Post.
Israel’s prison service said it released 200 Palestinian prisoners, including 121 people serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis, while others were held without charge, according to The Washington Post. The first exchange under this agreement took place on Jan. 25, when Hamas released four female Israeli soldiers.
The ceasefire will also facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Biden announced a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on Jan. 15.
Biden said Palestinian people had “gone through hell,” adding, “Too many innocent people have died. Too many communities have been destroyed. Under this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild.”
This agreement, while aimed at offering a path to recovery for Gaza, also represents a potential turning point for sides in their long-standing conflict.
“It can open a new window of hope for Israelis and Palestinians after the months of bloodshed and anguish that followed Hamas’s despicable terrorist assault on Israel on October 7, 2023,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin said in a press release.
On the day of his inauguration, President Donald Trump wrote on social media about the agreement.
“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,” he said in the post.
However, in a recent interview, Trump expressed his doubts about the durability of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. He is not confident that the agreement will hold.
He also described Gaza as “a massive demolition site” and talked about the need for reconstruction, highlighting its “phenomenal location” with “tremendous potential.”
On Jan. 23, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 653 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip, providing much-needed relief to the beleaguered population.
However, the situation remains dire with returnees having found entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Emergency Services, said more than 10,000 bodies are likely still under the rubble, and they are still searching for them.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, tensions persist in the region.
Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon past the 60-day withdrawal deadline set by the ceasefire agreement with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in November, according to a statement in The Washington Post from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hezbollah has described this move as a “blatant violation of the agreement.”
Leaders and Heads of State of countries like Germany, Spain, Belgium, the UK, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Egypt, South Africa, Turkey, Australia and Norway have urged both sides to seize the moment to bring an end to the conflict and the accompanying humanitarian crisis.
“We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy,” the Ministry of External Affairs of India said in a Jan. 16 statement.
Copy edited by Anijah Franklin
