Israel, Hamas have reached ceasefire, hostage deal: Joe Biden

PTI, Jan 16, 2025, 9:51 AM IST

Washington: Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal, US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday and added that the agreement will halt the fighting in Gaza.

“Today (Wednesday), after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal,” Biden announced, making the deal the last foreign policy accomplishment of his administration which ends on January 20.

“This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity,” Biden said.

Biden, 82, will be succeeded by Donald Trump, 78, as the 47th President of the United States, on January 20. Trump welcomed the deal.

“This epic ceasefire agreement could have only happened due to our historic victory in November as it signalled to the entire world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones,” Trump said.

In his statement, Biden said he laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council.

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 the weakening of Iran — but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. “My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done,” he said.

“Even as we welcome this news, we remember all the families whose loved ones were killed in Hamas’s October 7th attack, and the many innocent people killed in the war that followed. It is long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin,” Biden said.

“I am also if thinking of the American families, three of whom have living hostages in Gaza and four awaiting the return of remains after what has been the most horrible ordeal imaginable. Under this deal, we are determined to bring all of them home,” Biden said.

Days ahead of his inauguration, Trump said with this deal in place, his National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and its Allies to make sure Gaza never again becomes a terrorist haven.

“We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to expand the Historic Abraham Accords further. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World!” he said.

“We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House, and my administration is fully confirmed so they can secure more victories for the United States!” Trump said.