Netanyahu accuses Hamas of backtracking on deal as 77 killed in Gaza airstrikes

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Hamas of backtracking on the ceasefire deal as the death toll from Israeli airstrikes in gaza overnight rose to at least 77.

Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the truce in an attempt “to extort last minute concessions” this morning and stated that his Cabinet will not meet to approve the agreement until the group backs down from what his office called a “last-minute crisis”.

A senior Hamas official subsequently came out to reiterate the Palestinian group’s commitment to the ceasefireand hostage release deal, which was announced on Wednesday after months of mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US.

As final negotiations continue, Israeli airstrikes continued in Gaza overnight and into Thursday, killing at least 77 people, according to residents and authorities in the enclave.

The complex ceasefire accord was announced on Wednesday, outlining an initial six-week halt to the 15 months of bloodshed that has devastated the Gaza Strip – leaving more than 46,000 Palestinians dead – and inflamed the Middle East.

The truce, which is due to come into effect on Sunday, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and will allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes.

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

A senior Biden administration official credited the presence of president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, as being critical to reaching the agreement.

Key Points

• Death toll in Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 77 since ceasefire deal, residents say

• Netanyahu claims Hamas is reneging on some of Gaza ceasefire agreements

• Israeli PM’s office says ceasefire deal would be ‘demonstration of Israel’s strength’

• No cabinet meeting to approve deal until Hamas backs down on ‘last-minute crisis’, says Netanyahu’s office

• Senior Hamas official says group committed to ceasefire agreement announced by mediators

• Lammy urges Israel to back ceasefire deal as Israeli cabinet meeting to approve ceasefire delayed

Hamas added further demands after deal was agreed – Israeli spokesperson

14:21 , Alex Croft

Hamas has “added further demands” which have contradicted elements of the initial deal, an Israeli government spokesperson has said in a briefing.

The Palestinian group has “reneged on this hostage release agreement and has created a last minute crisis in an effort to extort last minute concessions,” spokesperson David Mercer said, adding that the Israeli cabinet therefore “cannot meet to agree this deal”.

Mr Mercer continued: “The negotiating team is continuing its efforts to reach a conclusion,” he added saying that negotiators were still in Doha. “No official announcement will be made by Israel about the success of these negotiations and the subsequent cabinet meeting until we…. have a finalised agreement.”

“Hamas have made changes even after the agreement was agreed. The mediators know this and confirmed this as well, and they are trying to extract further compromises from Israel.

“This hostage release, if it happens… the primary function of this hostage release deal is to get our people home,” he said in reply to a question about what changes Hamas were trying to make. He did not elaborate any further on the details.

“Hamas have been making changes to the agreement which has already been agreed.”

ActionAid hospital worker ‘killed in Gaza with family when home hit as attacks continue across Strip’

14:20 , Tara Cobham

An ActionAid hospital worker has been killed alongside her family when their home was hit in Gaza, the charity has said, as it calls for a ceasefire deal to be implemented immediately so that humanitarian aid can be brought into the Strip.

Fatin Shaqoura-Salha, the Chief of Nursing Staff at Al-Awda hospital in Nuseirat, run by ActionAid’s partner Al-Awda, died along with her husband and their children in a strike in the enclave on Wednesday, said ActionAid.

It comes after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced, but as attacks reportedly continue across Gaza, with the finer points of the deal still being negotiated, and the agreement not set to take effect until Sunday.

ActionAid said more than 1,000 healthworkers have been killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023 amid ongoing attacks on hospitals.

Tasneem, who works with Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO), ActionAid’s partner in the Strip, sent the charity this message: “I can’t fathom how those who are now killed were, just hours ago, clinging to hope awaiting the long overdue news of a ceasefire.

“Thousands lost their lives and dreams because the ceasefire did not come for over 15 months. With every minute of delay, entire families are being erased. Not just from life, but from the records of existence. Every passing minute matters. And every moment we lose means more innocent lives are being killed. So… ceasefire now.”

Starmer calls ceasefire deal ‘huge relief’ for hostages as well as Gazans after months of war

14:00 , Tara Cobham

Keir Starmer has called the ceasefire deal in Gaza a “huge relief” for the hostages and their families as well as those in Gaza who have endured 15 months of war.

The UK prime minister also called for much-needed humanitarian aid to now be enabled to enter the Strip, the BBC reported, saying the agreement “must be used to get desperately needed aid in, at scale and at speed”.

Starmer was speaking during his first visit to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv earlier today, adding he hopes the truce will bring a “lasting peace” involving a two-state solution.

Death toll in Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 77 since ceasefire deal, residents say

13:50 , Tara Cobham

Israel airstrikes killed at least 77 people in Gaza overnight on Thursday, residents and authorities in the enclave said, hours after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced to bring an end to 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli PM’s office repeats accusations Hamas ‘is making changes to ceasefire agreement’

13:47 , Tara Cobham

The Israeli prime minister’s office has repeated its accusations that Hamas has been making last-minute changes to the ceasefire deal.

Speaking to reporters, spokesperson David Mencer said: “Hamas has been making changes to the agreement, which has already been agreed.”

He did not elaborate further on the details.

Israeli PM’s office says ceasefire deal would be ‘demonstration of Israel’s strength’

13:45 , Tara Cobham

A spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office has said the ceasefire deal would be “a demonstration of Israel’s strength and moral clarity” as final negotiations continue.

Speaking in a press conference, David Mencer said: “This hostage agreement, if it is finally agreed – it is not a concession, it is a demonstration of Israel’s strength and moral clarity.”

Demonstrators protest in Jerusalem against ceasefire deal

13:40 , Tara Cobham

A group representing some families of soldiers killed fighting in Gaza held a demonstration in Jerusalem on Thursday against a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The Gvura Forum opposes the deal, saying it will not lead to Hamas’ destruction and that it will free Palestinians convicted of deadly crimes against Israelis. The agreement could also leave some Israeli hostages behind in Gaza if it collapses, the group said.

The group set up rows of mock coffins draped in the Israeli flag in Jerusalem to symbolize the price Israel will pay if it agrees to the deal.

“It’s a very dangerous deal,” said Yehoshua Shani, whose son Ori Mordehai Shani was killed in battle in southern Israel on 7 October, 2023. He believed the incoming Trump administration could exert more pressure on Hamas and secure better terms.

Many Israelis support a ceasefire deal that would bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza. But some families of fallen soldiers and of hostages oppose any agreement that they perceive grants too many concessions to Hamas.

Israeli machine gun fire heard from southern Lebanon, reports Lebanese state news agency

13:20 , Tara Cobham

The Lebanese National News Agency has reported Israeli machine gun fire has been heard from a town in the south of the country.

Israeli tank movements in Maroun al-Ras were also reported by the state news agency.

After Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in October, the two countries reached a ceasefire agreement the following month, which involved a staged withdrawal of IDF troops from inside Lebanon over 60 days.

Maroun al-Ras is a municipality located near the UN-drawn blue line that, since 2000, has separated Lebanon and Israel.

Comment: The next 72 hours are critical – I worry Israel will kill us before the ceasefire begins

13:00 , Ammar Kaskeen, in Gaza

In Sheikh Radwan, in northern Gaza, we have been starving and waiting. The next few days leading up to a possible ceasefire feel more dangerous than ever for us Palestinians. Everyone is holding their breath, hoping to live long enough to see the good news realised. We have already seen Israel dropping bombs and killing 46 people since the ceasefire was announced.

For the past 15 months, hoping for a ceasefire has been one of the only things I can do. I have grown used to counting days since the start of this horror: counting the days since I was last able to get flour. I also count the days of our lives.

During the darkest times, when we realised that aid and food weren’t coming, my family and I tried to sustain ourselves with anything we could find. We tried bird food and rabbit food and even tried to grind up cat food. In the first days of this famine, I saw people going to Nabulsi Square, where aid trucks full of wheat flour would distribute quantities that were only enough for a small fraction of us. I would see people dying in attempts to get some flour for their families, but some did come away with flour. At first, I thought that I wouldn’t die for a bag of flour. Later, I realised I was dying of starvation anyway.

Ammar Kaskeen writes from the north of Gaza:

The next 72 hours are critical – I worry Israel will kill us before the ceasefire

Iran says Gaza ceasefire is a ‘victory’ for Palestinian resistance

12:40 , Tara Cobham

The ceasefire in Gaza represents a “great victory” for the Palestinian resistance, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday, warning against any possible breach by Israel.

“The end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire on the Zionist regime (Israel) is a clear and great victory for Palestine and a greater defeat for the Zionist regime,” a statement by the Guards said.

Iran and its allied non-state armed groups in the region such as Yemen’s Houthis and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have supported Hamas throughout the conflict.

“The resistance remains alive, thriving, strong and has deeper faith in the divine promise of liberating the al-Aqsa mosque and Jerusalem,” the Guards said, warning against any breach of the ceasefire by Israel and saying they maintain field preparations to confront “new wars and crimes.”

War in Gaza has ‘divided’ communities in UK, says foreign secretary, with ceasefire ‘a moment to unite’

12:23 , Tara Cobham

The war in Gaza has “divided” communities in the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, as he called the ceasefire deal “a moment to unite”.

He told MPs: “Among the victims was Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed alongside members of her family and the paramedics who came to rescue her. Among the victims were many journalists dedicated to documenting the horrors around them.

“Among the victims were aid workers dedicated to serving others, including British citizens John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby. I invite the House to join me in remembering them all. We mourn every innocent victim.

“Beyond Israel and Gaza, this conflict has brought yet more tensions and conflict into the wider region. Unprecedented Iranian attacks, a renewed conflict in Lebanon, Houthi strikes in the Red Sea and into Israel.

“At times too, our own communities, indeed this House, have been divided by this war. This, then, is a moment of hope for all of us, a moment to unite in support of this ceasefire.”

Austrian president: Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal brings ‘hope and relief’

12:20 , Tara Cobham

The president of Austria welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza and hostage release deal after 15 months of war, and expressed hope that the suffering would now come to an end, in a post on social media on Thursday.

“After 15 months of despair and destruction, the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza and an agreement to release hostages brings hope and relief that the suffering on all sides can now come to an end,” Alexander van der Bellen wrote on X.

Lammy urges Israel to back ceasefire deal as Israeli cabinet meeting to approve ceasefire delayed

12:07 , Tara Cobham

David Lammy has urged Israel to back the ceasefire deal as an Israeli cabinet meeting to approve the agreement has been delayed following Israeli accusations of backtracking by Hamas.

The Israeli cabinet was set to meet today to ratify the truce – but Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has now stated this will not happen until the group backs down from what his office called a “last-minute crisis”.

Speaking in the House of Commons this morning, the UK foreign secretary said: “As the Israeli cabinet meets, I urge them to back this deal.

“Now is not the time for any backtracking. Both sides must implement each phase of the deal, in full, on time.

“The history of this conflict is littered with missed opportunities. It would be tragedy to let it slip from us – we must grab it with both hands.

“This is a chance not just for a ceasefire but for a lasting peace.”

He also reiterated the British government’s commitment to the peace process, saying: “The government is committed to sustaining momentum, however fragile a process it at first may be.”

He called for every hostage to be released and “every ounce of aid” apportioned to Gaza to reach those in need.

Lebanon’s President Aoun says Israel’s commitment to Gaza deal should be monitored

12:00 , Tara Cobham

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has welcomed Gaza’s ceasefire deal, saying Israel’s serious commitment to it should be monitored, according to a post by the Lebanese Presidency posted on X on Thursday.

UK foreign secretary invites Commons to remember hostages killed

11:58 , Tara Cobham

The UK foreign secretary has invited the Commons to remember the hostages killed in Hamas’ captivity.

Addressing the House this morning, he said: “I invite the house to remember those murdered in captivity.

“May their memories be a blessing.”

Lammy tells Gazans ‘we are with you’ after months ‘trapped in hell on earth’

11:55 , Tara Cobham

David Lammy has told Gazans “we are with you” after 15 months of being “trapped in hell on earth”.

Speaking in the House of Commons this morning, the foreign secretary addressed all those in Gaza, saying: “We are with you as you begin to rebuild your lives.”

He described the level of suffering seen in the Strip over 15 months of war as “beyond belief”. He said: “Gazans have truly been trapped in hell on earth.”

Mr Lammy called the population in Gaza “a generation scarred by the savagery of war”.

NGO welcomes ‘urgent relief’ ceasefire deal promises Palestinians but warns ‘fight is not over’

11:44 , Chief international correspondent Bel Trew

Palestinian NGO Al-Haq has welcomed the “urgent relief” the announcement of a ceasefire deal promises the two million Palestinians in Gaza – but it warned “the fight is not over”.

The organisation urged the international community “to keep all eyes on Gaza”, citing famine, the destruction of Palestinians’ homes, poor sanitation, limited aid, forced displacement to crowded camps, a severely weakened healthcare system amid the tens of thousands injured and psychological trauma as just some of the issues facing the Strip’s population.

In a post on X on Thursday, Al-Haq said: “A ceasefire without accountability is meaningless. Every person in Gaza is in need… Unhindered access to critical, large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed immediately.”

Russia welcomes any settlement that leads to security in Gaza, Kremlin says

11:40 , Tara Cobham

Russia welcomes any settlement that leads to security in Gaza after a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas was announced, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Watch: Israel accuses Hamas of backtracking on ceasefire deal

11:20 , Tara Cobham

More than 46,000 Palestinians killed since 7 October, Gaza health ministry says

11:18 , Chief international correspondent Bel Trew

The total number of Palestinians killed now stands at 46,788, the Gaza health ministry has said.

Meanwhile, it added that 110,453 have been injured, since Israel launched its war on Gaza following Hamas’ attack on the country on 7 October.

More than 70 killed and hundreds injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since ceasefire deal announced, says Palestinian authorities

10:56 , Tara Cobham

More than 70 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian civil emergency service.

Families in Gaza worried Israel’s bombardment might get worse in lead-up to any truce

10:52 , Chief international correspondent Bel Trew

Families in Gaza have said they are worried that Israel’s bombardment might get worse in the lead-up to any truce – and even if the guns go silent, they will not be able to go home.

“We all worry about the next 72 hours,” one man living in a tent, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told The Independent. “We also worry we will have nothing to go home to.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 48 people, half of them women and children, have been killed in Israeli strikes since midday Wednesday, when the prospect of a deal was first announced.

Action for Humanity has warned that the prospect of a truce does “give Israel a blank cheque to commit as many war crimes as possible” until Sunday, when the deal is supposed to come into effect.

There are also concerns for the future of Gaza. Amnesty International warned that, despite the fact the “bitterly overdue” ceasefire was a “glimmer of relief,” unless Israel’s blockade on Gaza is lifted, the suffering of Palestinians will continue.

Jubilant celebrations turn to anxiousness in both Israel and Gaza

10:31 , Chief international correspondent Bel Trew

Jubilant celebrations have turned to anxiousness in both Israel and Gaza after Benjamin Netanyahu announced Thursday morning that his cabinet has not yet convened to vote on the ceasefire.

Accusing Hamas of having “reneged” on parts of the deal, the Israeli prime minister poured cold water on the truce announced by both US President Joe Biden and the Qatari leadership on Wednesday.

This has sparked fear and confusion among families on both sides. In Gaza, where civilians are living in makeshift tents in the grips of one of the most acute humanitarian crises in the world, many fear a surge in Israeli airstrikes in the hours before the ceasefire is formally enforced – if it gets that far.

In Israel, several families of the hostages – hoping their loved ones will be among those coming home after over 466 days in captivity in Gaza – now fear that the truce could be scuppered before it is actually put in place.

Gil Dickmann, who has spent over a year campaigning for the release of his cousin Carmel Gat, compared the wait and the indecision to “psychological terror.” He understands how crucial every moment is. Carmel, who was abducted by Hamas militants from Kibbutz Beeri on October 7, was among those on the list to be released in the first phase of the deal. However, she was found shot dead by her captors in September, when the last attempt to get an agreement over the line failed at the eleventh hour.

“It’s very troubling – we’ve all learned to trust no one,” he told The Independent, adding that the families of the hostages had just sent messages confirming that the deal is not signed.

“Most of the families have just turned off their TVs and logged off social media.”

He said he didn’t think Netanyahu or Hamas would defy incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, whose inauguration on Monday has been seen as the driving force and cutoff point behind the deal.

“We trust Trump to not only make this deal start, like he so amazingly did, but to also carry it to the finish line—freeing all hostages and ending the war.”

Smoke plumes seen rising from explosions in Gaza Strip following announcement of truce

10:20 , Tara Cobham

German vice chancellor calls for push to turn Israel-Hamas deal into reality

10:00 , Tara Cobham

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said efforts must be made to turn the deal between Israel and Hamas for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release into a reality, in a statement posted on social media on Thursday.

“Now everything must be done so that the deal becomes a reality. And so that it launches a peace process towards a two-state solution,” Habeck wrote on X.

Watch: Israel continues attacks on Gaza despite ceasefire announcement

09:40 , Tara Cobham

Senior Hamas official says group committed to ceasefire agreement announced by mediators

09:15 , Tara Cobham

Palestinian group Hamas is committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by mediators on Wednesday, Senior group official Izzat el-Reshiq said on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier accused Hamas of backtracking on some details of the ceasefire deal.

‘Happiness, sadness, grief and worry’ across Israel and Gaza following ceasefire deal agreement

09:12 , Chief international correspondent Bel Trew, in Tel Aviv

Adigital clock that towers over “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv has been ticking for the last 466 days. It marks the seconds, minutes and days since families in Israel and beyond have been campaigning for the release of hundreds of their loved ones taken by the Hamas militant group into Gaza.

It is a clock that these families hope will finally come to a stop.

On Wednesday, mediators from the US and Qatar announced that they had reached a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, which will come into effect on Sunday. Negotiators hope it is the first step in ending the unprecedented bloodshed in Gaza, where Palestinians say Israel’s bombing has killed more than 46,000 people and laid waste to swathes of the Strip.

Chief international correspondent Bel Trew reports from Tel Aviv:

‘Happiness, sadness, grief and worry’ across Israel and Gaza following ceasefire deal

No cabinet meeting to approve deal until Hamas backs down on ‘last-minute crisis’, says Netanyahu’s office

09:10 , Tara Cobham

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said his Cabinet will not meet to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas backs down from what it called a “last-minute crisis”.

Netanyahu’s office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt “to extort last minute concessions” but did not elaborate.

The Israeli Cabinet was set to ratify the deal on Thursday.

Netanyahu claims Hamas is reneging on some of Gaza ceasefire agreements

08:38 , Chief international correspondent Bel Trew

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Hamas is reneging on some of the Gaza ceasefire agreements.

His office said the Israeli Cabinet will not meet to approve a deal on Thursday until the militant group backs down on what it called “an effort to extort last-minute concessions”.

Netanyahu’s comments come after the militant group reportedly accepted the deal on Wednesday.

The Israeli prime minister’s office announced on Thursday morning: “Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions.

“The Israeli Cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement.”

In pics: Israelis in Tel Aviv celebrate news that a ceasefire had been agreed

08:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

China says it welcomes Gaza ceasefire deal

08:08 , Tara Cobham

China welcomes the Gaza ceasefire deal and hopes relevant parties can take it as an opportunity to promote de-escalation in the Middle East, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson has said.

China also hoped the agreement will be effectively implemented so as to achieve a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, spokersperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday.

Negotiators reached a phased deal on Wednesday to end the fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The deal would take effect on Sunday and negotiators are working with Israel and Hamas on steps to implement it.

Guo said China will continue efforts to provide humanitarian relief and help in post-war reconstruction in Gaza.

Israel should bear the primary cost of rehabilitating Gaza, says non profit

08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

An American non-profit working in the Middle East said Israel should bear the primary cost of reconstructing and rehabilitating the Gaza Strip as it was responsible for the devastation in the enclave.

“If the world again allows Israel to externalise the costs of its crimes in Gaza, nothing will dissuade it from repeating its belligerence and abuses,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now.

Raed Jarrar, the group’s advocacy director, added: “A ceasefire agreement does not mean that Israeli war criminals who orchestrated this genocide are off the hook, and we will continue to demand accountability for their crimes.”

“The international community should also hold US officials in the Biden administration accountable for aiding and abetting crimes against humanity with their ongoing support of Israel’s war machine.”

Hamas says ceasefire deal result of Palestinians’s ‘legendary resistance’

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Hamas hailed its ceasefire with Israel as the result of “the legendary resilience of our great Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip”.

“The agreement is a milestone in the conflict with the enemy, on the path to achieving our people’s goals of liberation and return,” the group said in a statement.

Khalil al-Hayyah, the acting head of Hamas’s political bureau and chief negotiator, said the ceasefire deal represents a “new phase” which will focus on Gaza rebuilding and recovering.

“We are able – with god’s help first – and then with the help of our brothers, siblings, loved ones and supporters, to rebuild Gaza again, alleviate the pain, heal the wounds,” he said in a speech shared online by Hamas.

He also congratulated the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners who will be released in the first phase of the deal: “Our heroic prisoners have an appointment with the dawn of freedom.”

Everything we know about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas

07:00 , Alex Croft

Israel and Hamas have agreed a ceasefire deal in the Gaza war and to release some hostages after 15 months of conflict.

A week before US president-elect Donald Trump takes over from president Joe Biden, a breakthrough was achieved in talks in Doha, on a three-phase agreement that is due to come into effect on Sunday.

Both Mr Trump and Mr Biden claimed credit for the deal.

Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said measures would be taken in the coming days to enforce the agreement.

Barney Davis and Jane Dalton report:

Everything we know about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas

Watch: Palestinians take to streets of Gaza’s Khan Younis to celebrate Hamas ceasefire

06:31 , Alex Croft

US says 2 American hostages could be in first group freed from Gaza

06:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A senior Biden administration official said two Americans, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel, are expected to be released in the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire is set to begin Sunday and last for six weeks.

There is at least one other known living American captive in Gaza, an Israeli soldier named Edan Alexander, who will be released at a later date in the second phase of the agreement, the official told the Associated Press. It’s not clear how many of the hostages are still alive.

A year of war in Gaza: A timeline of key moments

06:01 , Alex Croft

Just days before US president Joe Biden is set to leave office, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal after a last-minute “breakthrough” in talks.

An official close to the negotiations said a text for a ceasefire and release of hostages was presented by Qatar to both sides at talks in Doha.

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis large crowds of joyful Palestinians have taken to the streets, with people cheering and honking car horns.

Agreement was reached after the Qatari prime minister’s separately met Hamas negotiators Israeli negotiators in his office, source close to the negotiations told The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley.

Alexander Butler and Tom Watling report:

A year of war in Gaza: A timeline of key moments as ceasefire deal agreed

Comment | Peace has finally come to Gaza… but at a terrible price

05:30 , Alex Croft

Great relief, then, at the Gaza ceasefire, such as it is – but also great sadness. There is no real reason why this deal, or something very much like it, couldn’t have been concluded when US president Joe Biden and his secretary of state Antony Blinken first put it on the table last May.

The “sticking points” that were obvious then haven’t materially altered in the many months since. But the price of delay has been paid by untold thousands of dead and injured civilians, the continuing pain of the hostages’ families, and the transformation of the poor but busy territory of Gaza into a desolate, uninhabitable moonscape.

The greatest of the tragedies have been inflicted on the children. It seems obvious that war crimes have been committed, just as surely as the series of events that triggered this particular phase in the Middle East, on 7 October 2023, amounted to a terrorist atrocity and an act of war.

Sean O’Grady writes:

Peace has finally come to Gaza… but at a terrible price

Charity says world leaders must push for permanent end to the Gaza war

05:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Charity and rights groups have urged world leaders to push for a permanent end to Israel’s war in Gaza following the ceasefire announcement between Israel and Hamas to stop fighting and release hostages.

“Leaders must put an end to this nightmare and use this opportunity to push for a permanent ceasefire combined with a massive influx of humanitarian aid,” said Rose Caldwell, chief executive of Plan International UK.

“Gaza remains in the grip of a catastrophic hunger crisis, with children dying of starvation, dehydration and related diseases. Without immediate safe access and large-scale action, many thousands more could die.”

Rights group Project Hope said: “Even with a break in violence, we know people will continue to die from preventable causes unless there is a significant reduction in humanitarian aid restrictions, an increase in humanitarian access to all areas of Gaza, and a surge of humanitarian assistance, including specialty health workers to address the array of medical needs.”

Trump claims credit for ceasefire agreement

05:00 , Alex Croft

President-elect Donald Trump has claimed credit for the ceasefire agreement made between Israel and Hamas, hailing it as an “epic ceasefire agreement”.

He wrote on Truth Social: “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled 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.

“With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World!

“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!”

Second-biggest militant group says ceasefire deal ‘honourable’

04:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the second-biggest militant group in Gaza, said the ceasefire deal to temporarily stop the fighting was “honourable.”

Hamas needed Islamic Jihad’s support for the deal in order to avoid a potential disruption in the process, according to reports.

“Today, our people and their resistance imposed an honourable agreement to stop the aggression,” Islamic Jihad said in a statement.

Live: View of Gaza’s Khan Younis after ceasefire deal reached

04:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

UN: We will deliver as much aid as conditions allow

04:30 , Alex Croft

The United Nations will only deliver as much humanitarian aid as “the conditions on the ground allow”, a UN aid spokesperson said after news emerged of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

“The removal of the various impediments the U.N. has been facing during the last year, which include restrictions on the entry of goods; the lack of safety and security; the breakdown of law and order; and the lack of fuel, is a must,” said Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The UN and its partners have been working to develop a coordinated plan to scale up the Gaza aid operation, Ms Kaneko added.

Israeli strikes on Gaza continue despite ceasefire announcement

04:12 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Israel intensified strikes on Gaza hours after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced, residents and authorities in the Strip said.

Heavy Israeli bombardment, especially in Gaza City, killed 32 people last night, medics in the Hamas-run enclave said. The strikes continued early this morning and destroyed houses in Rafah in southern Gaza, Nuseirat in central Gaza and in northern Gaza, residents said.

Israel’s military made no immediate comment and there were no reports of Hamas attacks on Israel after the ceasefire announcement.

Keir Starmer: Ceasefire is ‘long-overdue’ after ‘devastating bloodshed’

04:02 , Alex Croft

UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has also been speaking after news emerged of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

“After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for,” Mr Starmer said. “They have borne the brunt of this conflict – triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7th, 2023.

“The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families. But we should also use this moment to pay tribute to those who won’t make it home – including the British people who were murdered by Hamas. We will continue to mourn and remember them.

“For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza.

“And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people – grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state.”

Netanyahu says Gaza ceasefire deal is not complete

03:31 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a ceasefire agreement with Hamas is still not complete and the final details are being worked out.

Netanyahu’s statement comes hours after the US and Qatar announced the deal, which would pause the devastating 15-month war in Gaza and clear the way for dozens of hostages to go home.

He said that Hamas was objecting to a part of the agreement that gave Israel the ability to veto the release of certain Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas was trying to dictate which Palestinian prisoners would be released, Netanyahu said. He said he told Israeli negotiators to stand firm on the earlier agreement.

‘Palestinians have gone through hell’ – Biden

03:29 , Alex Croft

US president Joe Biden has said the Palestinian people have “gone through hell” in the past 15 months, soon after a ceasefire deal was confirmed between Israel and Hamas.

Speaking outside The White House, he said: “The Palestinian people have gone through hell. Too many innocent people have died. Too many communities have been destroyed. With this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild.”

Watch: Blinken presents post-war plan for Gaza at Atlantic Council

03:00 , Alex Croft

Watch: Blinken presents post-war plan for Gaza at Atlantic Council

Comment | A ceasefire in Gaza is a victory for Netanyahu – and Hamas

02:32 , Alex Croft

The ceasefire in Gaza is riddled with tripwires that look almost deliberately designed to fail. It is a tactical muddle that will bring brief respite – and serves only the long-term strategies of Israel’s prime minister and his enemies in Hamas.

Gaza’s militant leadership launched their campaign of atrocity and murder on 7 October 2023, knowing that any Israeli government – but especially one led by Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s in political hoc to the Israeli far right – would respond with staggering violence.

Yahya Sinwar, then the leader of the militant group that rules Gaza, is reported to have considered the tens of thousands of Gazans killed by Israel to be “necessary sacrifices”. He’s now among the dead, but would no doubt feel nothing for the 46,700 others who have perished – according to the Palestinian health ministry – under Israel’s air, land and sea attacks.

The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:

A ceasefire in Gaza is a victory for Netanyahu – and Hamas

In pictures: Palestinians celebrate following news of Gaza ceasefire

02:01 , Alex Croft

Full report: Israel and Hamas agree historic Gaza ceasefire deal after 15 months of war

01:30 , Alex Croft

Israel and Hamas have agreed a historic ceasefire to end 15 months of war in Gaza, a conflict in which almost 50,000 people have been killed and which has threatened to draw in the whole of the Middle East.

A truce and hostage deal was reached after the prime minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, met Hamas negotiators and then separately the Israelis. Qatar has been a key mediator in seeking to end the conflict. President-elect Donald Trump was quick to hail the end of the war, writing on Truth Social: “We have a deal for the hostages.”

The Qatari prime minister later confirmed the deal in a delayed press conference. He revealed that it would go into effect on Sunday and said its success would rely on Israel and Hamas “acting in good faith in order to ensure that this agreement does not collapse”.

The Independent’s chief international correspondent Bel Trew and world affairs editor Sam Kiley report:

Israel and Hamas agree historic Gaza ceasefire deal after 15 months of war

Father of Israeli-American hostage in Gaza ‘in the dark’ despite ceasefire deal with Hamas

00:57 , Alex Croft

The father of one of the approximately 100 hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas is still “in the dark” about the fate of his son, despite Israel and the militant group reaching a ceasefire and prisoner release deal to bring about the end of the brutal conflict.

Sagui Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that kicked off the conflict.

His father, Hebrew University of Jerusalem history professor Jonathan Dekel-Chen, told The Independent he still has very little information about the fate of his son.

“I’m a parent of a hostage who is completely in the dark,” he said. “We don’t have solid information about Sagui or any of the other hostages, who is alive or who is not.”

Josh Marcus reports:

Father of Israeli-American hostage ‘in the dark’ on son’s status despite ceasefire

Biden notes that he ‘introduced’ Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal after Trump claims credit

00:22 , Alex Croft

Hamas and Israel have reached a ceasefire deal brokered by the United States with the aid of the Egyptian and Qatari governments, ending 15 months of violence that began with the October 7, 2023, terror attacks, President Joe Biden announced Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking from the White House not long after news of the agreement became public, Biden said it was “a very good afternoon” because he could announce the deal had finally been reached. The inking of a ceasefire deal brings to a halt more than a year of war in Gaza, during which the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 100,000 wounded.

Our White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:

Biden notes he ‘introduced’ Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal after Trump claims credit

‘Happiness, sadness, grief and worry’ across Israel and Gaza following ceasefire deal agreement

00:00 , Alex Croft

A digital clock that towers over “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv has been ticking for the last 466 days. It marks the seconds, minutes, and days since families in Israel and beyond have been campaigning for the release of hundreds of their loved ones taken by the Hamas militant group into Gaza.

It is a clock that these families hope will finally come to a stop.

On Wednesday, mediators from the US and Qatar announced that they had reached a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, which would come into effect on Sunday. Negotiators hope it is the first step in ending the unprecedented bloodshed in Gaza, where Palestinians say Israel’s bombing has killed over 46,000 people and laid waste to swathes of the Strip.

Our chief international correspondent Bel Trew writes:

‘Happiness, sadness, grief and worry’ across Israel and Gaza following ceasefire deal

‘The scars will be long lasting’ – David Miliband of International Rescue Committee

Wednesday 15 January 2025 23:47 , Alex Croft

The “scars of this war will be long-lasting”, said president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) David Miliband.

“This ceasefire is essential and overdue. Too many lives have already been lost and ruined over the last 15 months of the conflict. The needs are immense, and need urgent attention,” he said in a statement.

“IRC teams on the ground have done outstanding work in the most difficult conditions. Many of these colleagues were displaced in makeshift shelters themselves.

“The scars of this war will be long-lasting, but a surge of aid is desperately needed to provide immediate relief to civilians. This will take flexible funding and the free flow of aid and aid workers. Done right, it can lay the foundations for the even harder work of development and peace.”

Ceasefire is ‘huge relief’, says UN human rights commissioner

Wednesday 15 January 2025 23:13 , Alex Croft

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas comes as a “huge relief after so much unbearable pain and misery over the past 15 months,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Wednesday.

“I urge parties to the conflict and all countries with influence to do everything in their powers to ensure the success of next stages of the ceasefire, including the release of all hostages and to end the war in its entirety,” he added.

“My thoughts, right now, are with those who have suffered so much unbearable pain and misery over the past 15 months, and I hope for everyone’s sake that no one will ever have to go through this again.

“Food, water, medicine, shelter and protection are the top priorities. We have no time to lose,” he added.

‘We welcome ceasefire, but the catastrophe persists’ – Israeli rights group

Wednesday 15 January 2025 22:41 , Alex Croft

Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has welcomed the ceasefire deal – but says “the catastrophe persists” with many in Gaza remaining “destitute, starving and homeless”.

“A ceasefire is only the first step, and one that should have happened long ago,” the group said. “There is a real concern that Israel will resume fighting after the first phase of the deal is complete.

The international community must ensure Israel stops the war “completely and permanently”, B’Tselem said.

“Israeli decision-makers responsible for serious violations of the laws of war and for crimes against humanity must be held accountable, and all Israeli violence against the Palestinian people in the entire area between the Jordan and the Mediterranean must cease.

“The only way to break the cycle of bloodshed is to end the occupation, oppression, and apartheid regime and ensure the human rights of everyone living in this space.”

Ceasefire came because we shifted approach – Biden administration official

Wednesday 15 January 2025 22:20 , Andrew Feinberg, White House Correspondent

The US shifted its approach towards the Middle East in September, a senior official from the Biden administration has said.

Israel decided to focus on Lebanon rather than on a hostage deal in Gaza, the official said. As long as the former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah remained in power, Israel was “never going to get a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza”, they added.

They described Israel’s campaign in Lebanon as “extraordinarily successful”, describing the “new political configuration” in Lebanon as “extraordinary”.

“On November 27 the Lebanon ceasefire went into effect. That led to December, which we returned to the table for the ceasefire hostage release talks in Gaza and a significantly changed equation in the Middle East,” the official added.

Gaza ceasefire must trigger massive aid expansion – Norwegian Refugee Council

Wednesday 15 January 2025 22:02 , Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent

The Gaza ceasefire must lead to a lasting truce and prompt a huge aid expansion, the secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland said.

“At long last we have a deal that must end the 15 months of relentless death, destruction, displacement, detention, and the holding of hostages.

“We call on the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and other nations to make sure Israel does keep all crossings open, enabling a sustained flow of aid that can alleviate further suffering.

“These hostilities have destabilised the Middle East and exposed millions of civilians to unrelenting violence. The Gaza ceasefire must not only introduce a lasting cessation of hostilities, but a firm commitment to international law, including accountability for war crimes.

“To end the cycle of violence, the international community must address the root causes of this decades-long conflict and pursue a just resolution in alignment with international law.”

Islamic Relief: ‘The big test is what happens next’

Wednesday 15 January 2025 21:54 , Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent

Islamic Relief has welcomed a “rare moment of hope” after “15 months of unprecedented and relentless atrocities”.

But it says that the “big test will be what happens next, whether it is adhered to, and whether a temporary pause becomes permanent”.

“For almost 500 days Israel has carried out daily massacres, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and starvation against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, as pleas for a ceasefire have been ignored,” the organisation said.

“Even as these negotiations entered the final stage, dozens more Palestinians have been killed in just the past 24 hours as Israeli bombs continued to rain down on shelters.

“We pray this stops now. It’s vital that this agreement is now fully and immediately implemented, and that the initial temporary pause becomes a permanent ceasefire.”

‘Joyful atmosphere’ as Palestinian celebrations continue

Wednesday 15 January 2025 21:45 , Alex Croft

Palestinian celebrations continue following the agreement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel.

Other footage shows fireworks being set off in Bethlehem, with the ceasefire set to be in place from Sunday.

Amnesty International: Ceasefire ‘bitterly overdue’

Wednesday 15 January 2025 21:44 , Bel Trew, Chief International Correspondent

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is “bitterly overdue”, the secretary general of Amnesty International Agnès Callamard has said.

“The news that a ceasefire deal has been reached will bring some glimmer of relief to Palestinians victims of Israel’s genocide. But it is bitterly overdue.

“For Palestinians who have lost countless loved ones; in many cases had their entire families wiped out or seen their homes reduced to rubble, an end to the fighting does not begin to repair their shattered lives or heal their trauma.

“The release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees will bring relief to families in Israel and across the Occupied Palestinian Territory but likewise will not erase the ordeals they have suffered in captivity.

“Israel must dismantle the brutal system of apartheid it imposes to dominate and oppress Palestinians and end its unlawful occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory once and for all.”

Hamas captivity survivor makes ceasefire plea: ‘No one should be left behind’

Wednesday 15 January 2025 21:27 , Alex Croft

‘I made it’, says Palestinian journalist

Wednesday 15 January 2025 21:11 , Alex Croft

David Lammy: ‘A moment of hope after a year of agony’

Wednesday 15 January 2025 20:57 , Alex Croft

David Lammy has described the ceasefire agreement as a “moment of hope after over a year of agony”.

The people of Gaza have suffered a “living nightmare” while hostages and their loved ones have faced “unbearable trauma”, he said.

“I pay tribute to the tireless diplomatic efforts of Qatar, Egypt and the incoming and outgoing US administrations,” Mr Lammy added.

“Much remains to be done – to implement this in full to all phases of the deal and establish a pathway to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

“We will play our full part in the coming days and weeks, working alongside our partners, to seize this chance for a better future.”

Watch: Emotional scenes as Palestinians celebrate ceasefire in Gaza

Wednesday 15 January 2025 20:42 , Lucy Leeson

Crowds of joyful Palestinians took to the streets in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Wednesday (15 January) after Israel and Hamas agreed a ceasefire.

Residents in the city were seen lighting fires and flares in celebration and dancing and cheering on the streets.

The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes.

Palestinians take to streets of Gaza’s Khan Younis to celebrate Hamas ceasefire

Trump credited with breakthrough as officials slam Biden’s inaction

Wednesday 15 January 2025 20:28 , Jane Dalton

Trump credited for ceasefire breakthrough as former US officials slam Biden inaction

Hostages deal will bring pain and harrowing moments, says Israeli president

Wednesday 15 January 2025 20:10 , Jane Dalton

The Israeli president has warned the deal to release the hostages will bring “deeply painful, challenging, and harrowing moments”.

“It will also present significant challenges,” said Isaac Herzog in an address to the nation.

“This is not a simple situation; it is among the greatest challenges we have ever known. I respect and deeply empathise with the fears and pain this deal evokes, especially after the great trauma of past deals, and after October 7.

“It is clear to all of us that we must utilise every diplomatic and security tool to uphold the security interests and defend the safety of all the Israeli people.”

Mr Herzog offered his support to the prime minister and the negotiation team in their efforts to finalise the deal and called on the cabinet and the government of Israel to accept and approve it.

“For the families of the captives, these hours and days are hell on earth,” he said.

“I call on all of us to show immense sensitivity to all the families of the captives—including those who are deeply pained by this deal. I ask to especially embrace the anxious and grieving families, who fear their loved ones will not return in the first stage of the deal.”

Oxfam blames UK leaders for Gaza suffering

Wednesday 15 January 2025 19:56 , Jane Dalton

Oxfam GB chief executive Halima Begum said: “With all of Gaza at risk of famine, one of the key priorities must be the immediate and unrestricted flow of life-saving aid to reach those in need, as well as the safe release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.

“The immense suffering Israel has inflicted on Gaza has happened under the watch and protection of world leaders, including the UK.

“Despite acknowledging that Israeli actions have regularly contravened international humanitarian law, the UK government continued to help fuel the conflict by allowing arms sales.

“This temporary pause does not negate the UK’s legal obligations. It should still immediately suspend all remaining arms licences to Israel.”

Keir Starmer: Ceasefire is ‘long-overdue’ after ‘devastating bloodshed’

Wednesday 15 January 2025 19:19 , Alex Croft

UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has also been speaking after news emerged of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

“After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for,” Mr Starmer said. “They have borne the brunt of this conflict – triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7th, 2023.

“The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families. But we should also use this moment to pay tribute to those who won’t make it home – including the British people who were murdered by Hamas. We will continue to mourn and remember them.

“For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza. And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people – grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state.

“The UK and its allies will continue to be at the forefront of these crucial efforts to break the cycle of violence and secure long-term peace in the Middle East.”

‘Very good afternoon’, says Biden

Wednesday 15 January 2025 19:15 , Alex Croft

Speaking from the White House not long after news of the agreement became public, Biden said it was “a very good afternoon” because he could announce the ceasefire agreement had been reached.

Biden said the deal would end “more than 15 months of conflict” that began with the “brutal assault” on Israel, as well as “more than 15 months of terror for the hostages, their families and the Israeli people,” and “more than 15 months of suffering by the innocent people of Gaza.”

The three-phase agreement would kick off with what Biden called “a full and complete cease fire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza and and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded” during a six-week period that would also see the release of all Americans held by Hamas over the last year and three months.

He added that he and Vice President Kamala Harris “cannot wait” to welcome those American hostages home.

Biden also said the six-week ceasefire period would give time for Israel and Hamas to “negotiate the necessary arrangements to get phase two, which is a permanent end of the war,” by hammering out “a number of details.”

But he stressed that the ceasefire would continue past the six-week period if the negotiations take longer than six weeks.

The second phase of the deal would involve releasing “all remaining living hostages,” and a withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. At that point, the ceasefire would become permanent, Biden said.

‘Palestinians have gone through hell’ – Biden

Wednesday 15 January 2025 19:13 , Alex Croft

US president Joe Biden has said the Palestinian people have “gone through hell” in the past 15 monthss.

Speaking outside The White House, he said: “The Palestinian people have gone through hell. Too many innocent people have died. Too many communities have been destroyed. With this deal, the people of Gaza can finally recover and rebuild.”

American hostages will be freed in first phase of ceasefire – Biden

Wednesday 15 January 2025 19:11 , Alex Croft

US president Joe Biden has confirmed that American hostages will be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Palestinians will be able to return to neighbourhoods in all areas of Gaza, Mr Biden added. He described the deal as one of the hardest foreign policy negotiations he has ever been part of.

“There was no other way for this war to end other than a hostage deal, and i’m deeply satisfied this day has come,” Mr Biden told reporters.

Watch live: Biden makes a statement on Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement

Wednesday 15 January 2025 19:06 , Alex Croft