DOHA/WASHINGTON:
On Wednesday, Qatar and the United States announced a ceasefire agreement aimed at halting the 15-month-long conflict in Gaza, set to begin on Sunday. The deal follows an agreement between Hamas and Israel for a prisoner and hostage exchange.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, acting Gaza chief of Hamas Khalil al-Hayya, US President Joe Biden, and President-elect Donald Trump confirmed the ceasefire deal after extensive discussions in Doha. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had not yet confirmed the agreement. Israeli officials stated that final details were still being worked out, with President Isaac Herzog urging Netanyahu to approve the deal.
In his announcement, President Biden explained that the ceasefire would last six weeks and provide space for negotiations to end the war permanently. It would also allow the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to Gaza and facilitate the return of hostages to their families.
Biden emphasized that this agreement followed months of diplomatic efforts led by his administration, although the deal’s implementation would largely fall to the incoming Trump administration. Trump, in a social media post, claimed that the ceasefire could only have been achieved due to his election victory in November, signaling a commitment to peace and the protection of US interests and allies.
Qatar’s Prime Minister, speaking at a press conference, stated that both sides in Gaza had agreed on the terms of the prisoner and hostage exchange, with the ceasefire announced as part of efforts to secure a lasting peace.
