Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on a ceasefire, scheduled to begin on Sunday, 16 January, bringing a potential pause to the devastating 15-month conflict in Gaza.
The announcement was made by Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who confirmed that the deal includes provisions for the release of Israeli captives and a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
In a statement earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office indicated that several unresolved clauses in the agreement were expected to be finalised within hours of the announcement.
The agreement comes amid intensified Israeli military operations in Gaza. On Wednesday, airstrikes targeted a school-turned-shelter and several residential areas, leaving at least 62 people dead within a 24-hour period.
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Since the escalation began in October 2023, at least 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, and just over 110,000 have been injured in Gaza. In Israel, just over 1,100 people lost their lives in Hamas-led attacks on 7th October 2023, with over 200 individuals taken captive.
The international community is closely monitoring developments, hoping the ceasefire will provide a pathway to alleviating the humanitarian crisis.
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