Israel and Hamas Agree to 6-Week Ceasefire in Gaza, to Release 33 Hostages and Allow Humanitarian Aid

Jan 15, 2025, 05:15 PM

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced, pausing the 15-month war in the Gaza Strip. The agreement, reached after weeks of negotiations in Doha, Qatar, includes the phased release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. It also allows for the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Gaza to their homes and the influx of humanitarian aid into the territory. The deal is expected to halt fighting for an initial six weeks, during which negotiations on ending the war will begin. Over this period, 33 of nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their families. The agreement still requires approval from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet and is expected to take effect in the coming days. The ceasefire raises hopes of winding down the conflict, which has been the deadliest and most destructive between the two parties, triggered by Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 hostages. Israel's subsequent offensive has killed over 46,000 Palestinians and displaced 90% of Gaza's population. More than 100 hostages were freed in a weeklong truce in November 2023.