US President Joe Biden and Qatari Prime Minister Muhammad bin Abdarrahman Al Sani confirmed on Wednesday evening that Israel and Hamas have agreed to an agreement on a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages. The truce is expected to officially begin on Sunday, January 19. TASR refers to AFP and AP agencies.
“Today, after many months of intense diplomacy, Israel and Hamas reached a cease-fire and hostage agreement. This agreement will stop the fighting in Gaza and provide much-needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians,” is stated in the opinion of the White House.
In a similar vein, the Qatari Prime Minister expressed his hope that the agreement “will contribute to a lasting ceasefire between the two sides.” According to Sheikh Muhammad, it will be observed to be monitored by the three mediators of the agreement – the USA, Egypt and Qatar.
According to Biden, the agreement is the result of “extreme pressure that Hamas has been subjected to” in conjunction with “changes in the regional balance after the cease-fire in Lebanon, as well as the weakening of Iran and the consistent work of American diplomacy.”
At the press conference, Biden also highlighted the participation of members of the incoming President Donald Trump’s administration in the negotiations. In his own words, he and Trump “talked as one team” about the agreement in Gaza.
Trump previously referred to the deal on his Truth social network as “magnificent” and stated that it could only take place thanks to his victory in the November presidential elections. “My administration will pursue peace and negotiate agreements to ensure the safety of all Americans and our allies,” the president-elect wrote.
The agreement has already been confirmed by Hamas, which stated that it was the result “of the legendary steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the brave resistance in the Gaza Strip during more than 15 months of conflict”.
