Israel-Hamas Crack 3-Phase Ceasefire Deal, Trump Claims Credit: 10 Points

10 latest developments on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal:

1. The ceasefire deal mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the USA is divided into three phases. Phase 1 will see a complete ceasefire; withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza; release of hostages including Americans, women and elderly; return of Palestinian civilians to their neighbourhood and a surge in humanitarian aid.
2. The second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal will see a permanent end to the war. The remaining living hostages will be exchanged; Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza; temporary ceasefire becomes permanent.
3. The third and final leg of the truce will involve a major reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the final remains of hostages to their families.
4. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani hopes the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza will “contribute to ending the aggression, destruction and killing in the strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, and to starting a new phase.” He said that the diplomatic role of Qatar in reaching the truce is its “humanitarian duty before the political one”.
5. US President Joe Biden remarked this was one of the toughest negotiations he has ever experienced. “The road to this deal has not been easy. I have worked in foreign policy for decades – this has been one of the toughest negotiations I have ever experienced. And we have reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas backed by the United States,” he said. The outgoing US President said that he laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council.
6. The ceasefire deal comes five days before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, who had threatened “all hell would break out” if the hostages were not released by then. Mr Trump has claimed full credit for the agreement, saying, “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November.”
7. US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller praised the “critical” role of US President-elect Donald Trump’s team in brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas. Thanking the Trump team for working on the ceasefire agreement, he said, “We think it’s important that they were at the table. It shows that when Americans are willing to work together across partisan lines, as we were willing to do on this occasion because it’s in the national interests of the United States, a lot can get done.”
8. At least 20 people were killed in Israeli strikes after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced on Wednesday, Gaza’s civil defence agency said. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that several strikes hit the territory, killing at least 20 people, including 18 in Gaza City. The raids “did not stop despite the announcement of the truce”, he said.
9. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the cabinet to approve the ceasefire agreement. Stating that the state had “failed in its duty” to prevent the October 7 attacks, Mr Herzog called to correct it. “This is the right move. This is an important move. This is a necessary move. There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us–whether to recover at home, or to be laid to rest,” he said.
10. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the deal for a ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza. He commended the mediators – Egypt, Qatar and the USA – for their efforts in brokering this deal. “Our priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict. I call on all to facilitate 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 that we will be facing,” he wrote in a social media post on X.