Israel and Hamas Agree to Ceasefire and Hostage Release in Landmark Deal
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Israel-Hamas Ceasefire and Hostage Deal Reached |
US President-elect Donald Trump announced that a deal had been reached between Israel and Hamas for the release of all hostages.
"We have secured a deal for the hostages in the Middle East," Trump announced on his TruthSocial platform on Wednesday, adding that their release is imminent.
The agreement involves a 42-day ceasefire, according to various media reports, and the exchange of all Israelis taken captive during Hamas's incursion from Gaza on October 7, 2023, with Qatar acting as a mediator.
In another post, Trump celebrated this as a result of the election win: "This historic ceasefire could only happen because of our success in November-which sent a message to the world that under my administration, peace and protecting of Americans and our allies will be our top priority.
He said his national security team would work with Israel and other allied nations to ensure that Gaza would not become a terrorist haven. "This is just the beginning of extraordinary progress for America and the world," he added.
Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, was instrumental in the negotiations and reportedly helped get Israel to agree to the terms. Witkoff told Israel's Channel 12 that the deal was possible because of a joint effort. He credited "peace through strength" policy by Trump for making the deal possible. He further thanked the Israeli negotiators, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, and the Biden administration.
The negotiations moved decisively forward in the early hours of Monday morning when Qatari ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met with Hamas leaders to obtain their approval. Top representatives from Egyptian and Turkish intelligence and Israel's Mossad and Shin Bet also helped move the talks along.