A ceasefire agreement has been made between Israel and Hamas on January 15th that is supposed to take effect on January 19th. 83 more lives have been lost in the days leading up to this agreement going into effect.
The agreement is said to have three phases that are meant to be used between Hamas and Israel. The first phase being a six weeks ceasefire between the two organizations. The second phase is an exchange of the hostages being held by both of the parties. The third and final phase will be a permanent ceasefire caused by Israel leaving Gaza. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is fully expecting the ceasefire agreement in Gaza to go into effect as planned on Sunday, even though Israel has reported a last-minute dispute with Hamas over the terms.
In a press briefing, Blinken faced protests from people accusing him of supporting violence against Palestinian civilians, “Why aren’t you in the Hague?” one protester shouted, referring to the International Criminal Court. Despite the criticism, “a moment of historic possibility for the region,” said Blinken as he described the ceasefire. He also acknowledged that permanent peace would require “tremendous effort, political courage, and compromise” from all sides.
The Biden administration has been frequently criticized for how they are handling the situation in Gaza, especially in light of the numerous deaths of civilians and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Many have also condemned the U.S. for supporting Israel with weapons. “It’s a very dangerous deal,” said Yehoshua Shani, the father of Ori Mordehai Shani, who died fighting in the war.
The deal is seen as an important step toward a more peaceful and integrated Middle East, though it remains uncertain if it will hold in the face of ongoing tensions.
