Israel, Hamas reach ceasefire, hostage deal to pause Gaza war

Large crowds of joyful Palestinians take to the streets, with people cheering and honking car horns, to celebrate the announcement

Doha: Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced on Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies.

The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes.

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It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory.

Meanwhile, three US officials said a deal was reached between Israel and Hamas, which will see some hostages freed and pause the war in Gaza. One official said it was expected that the ceasefire would be implemented in the coming days.

All three requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha.

President Joe Biden was preparing to address the breakthrough agreement later on Thursday, officials said.

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, large crowds of joyful Palestinians took to the streets, with people cheering and honking car horns.

Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead.

The Israel Hamas war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities.

Ashraf Sahwiel, a displaced man from Gaza City, said people were celebrating the announcement on Wednesday evening that Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire.

“People are happy after the suffering they’ve seen for more than a year. We hope it gets implemented,” said Sahwiel, who is currently living in a tent in Deir al-Balah with five family members.

He added everyone has been closely following the negotiations the past few days, “even children who have hope and happiness about going back home.” As the deal was announced, ‘hostages square’ in Tel Aviv was calm, with some Israelis unaware that it had gone through.

Sharone lifschitz, whose father Oded is being held hostage, said she was stunned and grateful but won’t believe it until she sees them come home.

“I can’t wait to see them coming back to their families I’m so desperate to see them if by some miracle my father has survived,” she said. Now it’s up to everyone not to sabotage it, she said.

Some people whose friends are being held hostage said they won’t trust the deal until all the hostages returned. “I don’t trust Hamas, don’t trust them at all to bring them back,” said Vered Froner.

She and her mother hid in a safe room for 17 hours in Nachal Oz kibbutz during the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas. She said she’d prefer to have had all of the hostages return at once rather than a phased approach.