2 weeks ago
4
Israel and Hamas person agreed to a cease-fire woody that besides ensures the merchandise of hostages, Fox News has confirmed.
President Biden, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, held a property league Wednesday announcing that the woody would rotation retired successful 3 phases.
Biden said the archetypal signifier volition past six weeks and "includes a afloat and implicit cease-fire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from each the populated areas of Gaza, and the merchandise of a fig of hostages held by Hamas, including women and aged and the wounded. And I'm arrogant to accidental Americans volition beryllium portion of that hostage merchandise and signifier 1 arsenic well. And the vice president and I cannot hold to invited them home," helium said.
In exchange, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Biden said, and Palestinians "can besides instrumentality to their neighborhoods successful each areas of Gaza, and a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza volition begin."
"During the adjacent six weeks, Israel volition negociate the indispensable arrangements to get signifier two, which is simply a imperishable extremity of the war. Let maine accidental that again, a imperishable extremity of the war," Biden said. "There are a fig of details to negociate the determination from signifier 1 to signifier two. But the program says if negotiations instrumentality longer than six weeks, the cease-fire volition proceed arsenic agelong arsenic the negotiations continue."
CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS GETTING CLOSER AMID CONCERNS TERROR GROUP REARMING IN GAZA
"When signifier 2 begins, determination volition beryllium an speech for merchandise of the remaining surviving hostages, including antheral soldiers, and each remaining Israeli forces volition beryllium withdrawn from Gaza, and the impermanent ceasefire volition go permanent," Biden said. "And finally, Phase Three: Any last remains of hostages who person been killed volition beryllium returned to their families, and a large reconstruction program for Gaza volition begin."
Earlier, a root briefed connected the substance told Fox News: "A Gaza cease-fire and hostage merchandise woody was reached pursuing the Qatari Prime Minister's gathering with Hamas negotiators, and separately, Israeli negotiators successful his office."
Separately, a elder Hamas authoritative confirmed to Fox News that a woody was reached. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bureau said that last details were inactive unresolved, but that it hoped "details volition beryllium finalized tonight."
Reuters besides reported that a woody has been reached, citing an authoritative briefed connected the agreement.
The conflict, which began with Hamas’ brutal attacks connected October 7, 2023, has near implicit 1,200 Israelis dead, much than 250 taken hostages, and thousands of others killed connected some sides.
President-elect Trump, who threatened past week if a woody wasn't struck earlier his Inauguration Day that "all hellhole volition interruption out" successful the Middle East, rapidly offered his praise.
"This EPIC ceasefire statement could person lone happened arsenic a effect of our Historic Victory successful November, arsenic it signaled to the full World that my Administration would question Peace and negociate deals to guarantee the information of each Americans, and our Allies," Trump wrote connected TRUTH Social. "I americium thrilled American and Israeli hostages volition beryllium returning location to beryllium reunited with their families and loved ones."
The deal, brokered by Qatari negotiators and facilitated by Egyptian intermediaries, besides saw significant involvement from the United States. Both the outgoing Biden medication and the incoming Trump medication applied strategical unit to finalize the agreement, contempt concerns astir Hamas rearming and interior tensions wrong Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition.
Sources told Fox News Digital that a play gathering betwixt Netanyahu and Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, led to the breakthrough. Witkoff’s assurances reportedly convinced Netanyahu to judge the deal, contempt threats from a right-wing enactment to retreat from the conjugation if it passed.
On Wednesday, Trump praised his negotiators. "With this woody successful place, my National Security team, done the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, volition proceed to enactment intimately with Israel and our Allies to marque definite Gaza NEVER again becomes a violent harmless haven," the president-elect said connected TRUTH Social. "We volition proceed promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH passim the region, arsenic we physique upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further grow the Historic Abraham Accords. This is lone the opening of large things to travel for America, and indeed, the World!"
"We person achieved truthful overmuch without adjacent being successful the White House," Trump added. "Just ideate each of the fantastic things that volition hap erstwhile I instrumentality to the White House, and my Administration is afloat confirmed, truthful they tin unafraid much Victories for the United States!
The statement calls for the merchandise of 3 hostages connected the archetypal day, followed by play batches. Women, children, and men implicit 50 volition beryllium prioritized initially, with younger men successful humanitarian cases included later. Updates connected hostages’ statuses volition alternate betwixt announcements of survivors and confirmation of those who did not past captivity.
The operation’s execution relies connected extended coordination among the IDF, Shin Bet, Israeli Police, the Ministry of Health, the International Red Cross, and Egyptian authorities. Over 42 days, 33 Israeli hostages are expected to beryllium released. Early stages volition absorption connected civilian women, children and pistillate soldiers, followed by aged men. The last hostage successful this radical is scheduled for merchandise connected the 42nd day.
HAMAS HAS ACCEPTED DRAFT AGREEMENT FOR GAZA CEASE-FIRE, HOSTAGE RELEASE: OFFICIALS
On the 16th day, the 2nd signifier volition begin, addressing the merchandise of younger men, soldiers, and the instrumentality of remains. Netanyahu assured hostage families that each captive is accounted for successful the deal. Approximately 1,000 Palestinian prisoners volition beryllium freed successful exchange, with execution convicts barred from returning to the West Bank. Instead, they volition beryllium sent to Gaza, Qatar, oregon Turkey.
The cease-fire volition besides facilitate important humanitarian assistance to Gaza, with up to 600 trucks of supplies entering daily. By the 22nd day, displaced residents volition beryllium allowed to instrumentality to bluish Gaza. Qatari and Egyptian teams volition negociate conveyance inspections, portion pedestrian crossings volition not necessitate checks. The IDF volition retreat from the Nitzarim corridor but support a constricted beingness on the Philadelphi Route.
Although quality connected the hostages’ conditions remains limited, assessments suggest that astir are alive. Before each merchandise stage, Israel volition person updated accusation connected their identities and wellness statuses. The International Red Cross volition oversee their transportation from Gaza to Israel, ensuring their information portion addressing logistical challenges specified arsenic assemblage control.
Upon entering Israel, hostages volition acquisition individuality verification and archetypal questioning by Shin Bet and the IDF. Medical teams stationed astatine the borderline volition supply contiguous care, and those requiring further attraction volition beryllium airlifted to hospitals. After receiving indispensable care, hostages volition beryllium reunited with their families.
Israel’s information forces are preparing for assorted contingencies to guarantee the operation’s occurrence portion maintaining stability. The coming weeks volition beryllium marked by hostility and emotion arsenic families and the federation expect the instrumentality of those held captive, including 7 Americans, successful this prolonged conflict.
English (US) ·