Hamas agrees to ceasefire deal with Israel

DDM News

Hamas has reportedly agreed to the terms of a ceasefire deal with Israel, which has been conducting land and air assaults on Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023, attack.

Sources from Diaspora digital media (DDM) outlets have confirmed that the deal has been approved by Hamas, as communicated by Palestinian officials.

During the invasion of Israel by Hamas, a significant number of hostages were taken into Gaza, with only a few released as the crisis deepened.

This has resulted in the tragic deaths of an estimated 46,000 Palestinians.

Over 1,000 Israelis were killed in the initial attack in 2023.

On Wednesday, both Israeli and Palestinian officials announced that Hamas had verbally agreed to a proposal to release hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza.

Reports from multiple media outlets suggest that Israeli officials indicated the two sides have reached an understanding, and an official announcement is expected soon.

News agencies such as Reuters and AFP reported that Hamas had provided verbal approval for the deal, citing Palestinian sources.

However, Reuters noted that Hamas had not yet offered a written response to the ceasefire proposal.

CNN reported that the potential agreement could lead to the phased release of hostages as well as Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

According to their sources, the implementation of the agreement is expected to begin on Sunday.

As part of the first phase, Hamas is reportedly set to release 33 hostages, while hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would also be freed simultaneously.

“The release of the hostages would mark the first phase of the deal’s implementation.

The second phase, which is intended to bring an end to the war, will begin after the 16th day of the deal’s execution,” CNN said in its report.

This deal, once finalized, would provide a long-awaited reprieve for the people of Gaza, who have endured over a year of conflict, with very few breaks since the Israeli bombardment started.

Once confirmed, the agreement is expected to allow Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza, and a large influx of humanitarian aid will be permitted into the region, where conditions have remained dire for many months.

In a separate statement, Hamas confirmed it had consulted with allied groups on the proposed agreement.

“Hamas has handled this issue with full responsibility and positivity, in its duty towards the people of Gaza, to end the Zionist aggression and stop the massacres and genocide they have faced,” the group stated.

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