Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement, as announced by mediators on Wednesday, thus ending a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip.
PUBLICIDAD
The agreement, which comes after weeks of arduous negotiations in the capital of Qatar, promises the phased release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and would allow thousands of displaced people in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes.
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It would also allow the passage of the humanitarian aid that is desperately needed in the devastated territory.
Three US officials and one from Hamas confirmed the agreement, while a senior Israeli official indicated that details are still being finalized.
President Joe Biden was getting ready to comment on the agreement, officials said.
What are the next steps of the agreement?
Any agreement still needs to be approved by the cabinet of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but it is expected to come into effect in the next few days.
In a first step, the ceasefire will grant an initial six-week pause in the fighting which will be accompanied by the opening of negotiations to end the war completely.
For six weeks, 33 out of the almost 100 hostages will be reunited with their loved ones after months in captivity, although it is not clear if all of them are alive.
It is still not clear if the agreement includes the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a key demand of Hamas to release the remaining captives and a contentious issue for the far-right in Israel that supports Netanyahu’s government.
Many long-term doubts about post-war Gaza remain, including who will govern the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction.
Hamas triggered the current war when it attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90% of the Gaza population, and triggered a humanitarian crisis.
More than 100 hostages were released from Gaza during a one-week ceasefire in November 2023.