DOHA – Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement starting on Sunday, January 19, bringing an to the devastating 15-month war in Gaza.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani confirmed the development, stating that the deal will lead to release of Israeli hostages and increase in humanitarian activities in war-ravage Gaza.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier that several clauses in Gaza ceasefire agreement remained “unresolved” but hoped to “finalise [them] tonight”.
A day earlier, Israeli forces attacked a school-turned-shelter and several homes in Gaza and killed at least 62 people over the latest 24-hour.
At least 46,707 Palestinians have lost their lives in attacks launched by Israel on Gaza since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and called on parties to ensure that the deal was fully implemented.
“I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza,” the UN chief said in a statement issued at UN Headquarters in New York.
“I commend the mediators — Egypt, Qatar, and the United States of America — for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal,” Guterres said in his statement. “Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough. I call on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this deal is fully implemented.
From the outset of the war, he said he had called for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
“Our priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict,” the UN chief said.
The statement said, “The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer. It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support. The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels.
“I call on all parties to facilitate the rapid, unhindered, and safe humanitarian relief for all civilians in need. From our side, we will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges and constraints that we will be facing. We expect our efforts to be matched by other humanitarian actors, the private sector and bilateral initiatives.
“This deal is a critical first step, but we must mobilize all efforts to also advance broader goals, including the preservation of the unity, contiguity, and integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Palestinian unity is essential for achieving lasting peace and stability, and I emphasize that unified Palestinian governance must remain a top priority,” he said.
