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Mediators say Gaza ceasefire agreed
Qatar, Egypt and the United States have announced that mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza have succeeded.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani made the announcement, saying that the deal will lead to the release of Israeli captives and surging humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Biden confirms deal reached
The outgoing US president says “dogged and painstaking American diplomacy” led to the agreement.
“It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran — but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy,” Biden said in a statement, noting that he put forward “the precise contours” of the plan in May of last year.
“My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done.”
Critics have slammed the Biden administration for failing to condition US aid to Israel in order to pressure the top American ally to agree sooner to end its war on Gaza. The US provides Israel with at least $3.8bn in military assistance annually, and researchers at Brown University recently estimated that the Biden administration provided an additional $17.9bn since the Gaza war began in October 2023.
Ceasefire in Gaza to start on Sunday: Qatar PM
The ceasefire in Gaza will take effect on Sunday, January 19, Qatar’s prime minister has said in his press conference. He added that talks were continuing with Israel and Hamas on the implementation of the deal.
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