
When and how will the Gaza ceasefire agreement begin to be implemented?
A phased agreement to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas was reached today, the United States and Qatar announced, after 15 months of bloodshed that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.
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The complex agreement outlines the initial phase of a six-week ceasefire and includes a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages taken by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
At a news conference in Doha, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the ceasefire would take effect on Sunday. Negotiators are working with Israel and Hamas on steps to implement the agreement, he said.
"This agreement will stop the fighting in Gaza, increase much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," US President Joe Biden said in Washington.
Palestinians celebrated on the streets of Gaza – where they faced an acute humanitarian crisis with severe shortages of food, water and fuel.
"I'm happy, yes, I'm crying, but they're tears of joy," said Gada, a displaced mother of five.
The families of the Israeli hostages and their friends rejoiced at the news of the agreement in Tel Aviv.
"We, the families of the 98 hostages, welcome with immense joy and relief the agreement to return our loved ones home," the hostage families' group said in a statement.
The agreement follows months of arduous negotiations led by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the support of the United States, and comes just before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also welcomed the agreement in a statement on X.
If successful, the planned phased ceasefire would halt fighting that has devastated much of heavily urbanized Gaza and displaced most of the tiny enclave's population of 2,3 million. The death toll is still rising daily.
The first phase of the deal includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including all women, children and men over the age of 50.
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the deal is a "big win."
The group, the dominant Palestinian militant force in Gaza, told Reuters that its delegation had handed over to mediators its approval of the ceasefire agreement and the return of hostages.
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Hamas had dropped its demand at the last minute and that there were still a number of unresolved issues in the deal. "We hope that the details will be finalized tonight," it said in a statement.
Israeli troops invaded Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen breached security barriers and stormed Israeli border communities on October 7, 2023, killing 1.200 soldiers and civilians and kidnapping over 250 foreign and Israeli hostages.
Israel's air and ground war in Gaza has since killed more than 46.000 people, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and hundreds of thousands of displaced people are battling the winter cold in tents and makeshift shelters.