Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Abderrahman announced on Wednesday in Doha that Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas have reached a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
The head of the Qatari government, who has acted as mediator between the warring parties, announced at a press conference the "success of reaching an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, for the exchange of hostages and prisoners, the return to sustainable calm, as well as the arrival of large quantities of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave."
During his speech, he announced the main points of the agreement between the parties in conflict, reached through mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the United States. The first phase of the truce will last for a period of 42 days, during which the green light will be given for the entry of humanitarian aid and fuel into the entire Strip and the rehabilitation of hospitals.
In this first phase, Hamas will release a total of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, the number of which he did not specify. During these actions, the parties will finalize the details of the second and third phases of the ceasefire, Abderrahman announced.
"We are working continuously to stop the bloodshed. For 411 days we have been making efforts to reach this long-awaited moment and we are working with Israel and Hamas to implement the steps of this agreement," he added.
LíderWorld Cups react to the announcement
UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, but recalled that it is "a critical first step" that should not lead to the goal of "preserving the unity, contiguity and integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory" being forgotten.
He also recalled that the immediate priority now is to "alleviate the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict" and to increase humanitarian efforts aimed at the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden welcomed the agreement for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, attributing it to months of "intense diplomacy" and "extreme pressure" against the Palestinian militia and resistance organisation.
"My diplomacy has never ceased in its efforts to achieve this," Biden said in a statement welcoming an agreement that guarantees the release of hostages held by Hamas, including seven Americans. The US president avoided mentioning the enormous military and logistical aid that facilitated Israel's genocidal actions against the Palestinian population.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for speeding up the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip to "deal with the catastrophic situation" in the Palestinian enclave, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire.
"With this agreement, I underline the importance of accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza to address the current catastrophic humanitarian situation, without any obstacles, until a lasting peace is achieved through the two-state solution," the Egyptian president said on his official X account.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez welcomed the decision and stressed that it represents "an essential step" towards stability and "the two-state solution."
UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed stressed in a statement that "both sides must comply with the agreements and commitments reached to end the suffering of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli detainees."
His Jordanian counterpart, Ayman al-Safadi, called on the international community to launch an immediate operation to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and stressed the importance of launching a real effort to rebuild the Palestinian enclave.
The agreement will come into force at noon on Sunday.
The ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas in the Gaza Strip will come into effect "at 12.15:19 noon" on Sunday, January XNUMX, Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Abderrahman announced on Wednesday.
The Qatari prime minister, who has acted as mediator between the warring parties alongside Egypt and the United States, announced at a press conference that "work is now underway to finalise the implementation procedures tonight, and then internal measures will be taken by the Israeli government for the agreement to come into force on Sunday, 19 January."
The implementation of this agreement and the entry into force of the ceasefire will be from 12.15:XNUMX pm on Sunday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al Ansari later said, without specifying the time zone.
“This is the day the truce begins, but of course we call on all concerned to push for an end to the targeting of civilians, and to stop the daily loss of life and bloodshed from now on,” Al Ansari added, saying there was “no need to wait until Sunday.”
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, said on Wednesday that the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas will "finally" bring relief to the people of Gaza.
"I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza," Lazzarini said on X, adding that the agreement "will finally bring much-needed relief to the people of Gaza and the release of hostages."
"What is needed is rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian and supply access to respond to the tremendous suffering caused by this war," Lazzarini urged.
