US President Joe Biden announced today that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage agreement, marking a major breakthrough after months of intense diplomacy involving the United States, Egypt, and Qatar.
The agreement is expected to halt the ongoing fighting in Gaza, provide much-needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and facilitate the return of hostages to their families after more than 15 months of captivity.
The deal follows a plan laid out by Biden on May 31, 2024, which was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council.
The agreement comes at a time when Hamas has been under extreme pressure, with changing regional dynamics, including a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening influence from Iran.
While Biden expressed his relief that hostages would be reunited with their families, he also extended his thoughts to the victims of the October 7th Hamas attack and their families.
He emphasized that it is time for the fighting to end and for efforts to focus on building peace and security in the region.
Biden confirmed that the U.S. will continue to work to bring all hostages home, including American citizens, and will ensure that the remains of those who died are returned to their families.
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