Israel and Hamas agree Gaza ceasefire
Israel and Hamas agree Gaza ceasefire
Deal comes days before Donald Trump takes office as US president
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to halt the war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages, raising hopes of an end to the bloodiest round of fighting in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s history. The multiphase agreement comes days before Donald Trump takes office as US president. Trump’s warning that there would be “all hell to pay” if the hostages were not released before his inauguration on Monday helped inject renewed momentum into the long-stalled talks. A person close to the talks said a deal had been done. Previous attempts to broker a deal to end the 15-month conflict and secure the release of the 98 Israeli hostages still in Gaza — not all of whom are alive — had repeatedly foundered as Israel and Hamas refused to make the concessions necessary to reach an agreement. © Amir Cohen/Reuters The war was triggered by Hamas’s shock assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, during which militants killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli officials, and took another 250 hostage. Israel’s devastating retaliatory offensive has killed more than 46,000 people, according to Palestinian officials, as well as reducing much of Gaza, and fuelling a humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged enclave. This is a developing story
NYTimes makes it sound a bit less concrete:
Negotiators from Israel and Hamas have provisionally agreed to the broad outline of a cease-fire in Gaza, though they have yet to confirm its start date and other technical issues, according to a senior official from one of the mediating countries and two senior Israeli officials.
The deal still needs to be formally ratified by the Israeli cabinet, according to the officials. Two other officials said there was last-minute wrangling over the Egypt-Gaza border, which is currently controlled by Israeli forces — which could still delay a final agreement.
Based on recent actions, I'll believe it when troops withdraw instead of deciding to blow up more hospitals (if any are left).
President Orange already taking credit
There was no ambition to reach a ceasefire on the Israeli side and multiple cases of last minute sabotage by Netanyahus government for the ceasefire negotiations while Biden was still in office.
It seems that the looming of Trumps presidency, who made strong remarks in this regard has pushed Israel to finally accept some sort of ceasefire, although they are already wiggling about it.
Biden hast taken every opportunity to lick Netanyahus boots and get humiliated publicly by him. So it really wasn't that difficult for Trump to push some change. All he had to do was being slightly less of a bootlicker.
EDIT: Also it is basically the same deal that Hamas has accepted in July, but was tossed out last minute by Netanyahu. So Biden leaving office seams to be the defining factor. Again this is not some great win for Trump, as it was an easy one. It just shows how utterly despicable Biden was on supporting this genocide.
EDIT 2: AP reports an analyst stating exactly what i wrote:
https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-ceasefire-updates#00000194-6afd-dc66-a1bf-eafde8270000
Trump’s pressure on Israel and Hamas to finish the ceasefire deal appears to have worked, analyst says By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has hammered home warnings that there better be a Gaza hostage deal by his Jan. 20 inauguration or “all hell would break out.”
Hamas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both seem to have been listening.
Netanyahu’s agreement to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal Wednesday “ironically shows how effective actual pressure can be in changing Israeli government behavior,” said Nancy Okail, head of the U.S.-based Center for International Policy.
She accused Netanyahu of long stalling such a deal, and faulted Biden for not raising the stakes for Netanyahu in his continued objections to proposed terms.
Trump declared in a social media post last month “there will be ALL HELL TO PAY” if the hostages weren’t released before the U.S. Inauguration Day.
“It will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” he told reporters this month, underscoring the deadline.
Probably more to do with Trump selling off the West Bank for $100m. Much more upside there for them.
Not seeing much pressuring of Israel here.
Let's hope this doesn't fall apart like last time 🤞
Now it's confirmed.