Gaza Agreement: What Did the Mediators Say?

17th January 2025

2 minutes read

Gaza Agreement: What Did the Mediators Say?

What did the mediators say about the truce agreement in Gaza, the deal reached between Hamas and Israel after 15 months of war in the region?

On Wednesday evening, Cairo, Doha, and Washington announced a ceasefire agreement that includes the release of hostages held in Gaza since the attack launched by Hamas on Israel.

In return, Tel Aviv will release Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.

In a statement issued by the Egyptian presidency, the mediating countries announced that the parties in the Gaza conflict had reached an agreement for the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and for the restoration of sustained calm, enabling a permanent ceasefire between the two sides.

According to the statement, the agreement is expected to take effect starting January 19, which is next Sunday.

The agreement reached by both parties consists of three phases. The first phase, lasting 42 days, includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and repositioning of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas.

It also includes the exchange of prisoners and detainees, the repatriation of deceased individuals’ remains, the return of internally displaced persons to their homes in Gaza, and the facilitation of patients and the injured leaving to receive treatment.

The first phase also entails the intensification of the delivery and safe, effective distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout Gaza. This includes the rehabilitation of hospitals, health centers, and bakeries, as well as the provision of civil defense equipment, fuel, and shelter supplies for displaced persons who lost their homes due to the war.

Guarantor Countries

According to the statement, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, and the United States of America emphasized their role as guarantors of this agreement. They are committed to ensuring the full implementation of all three phases by both parties.

The mediators will work jointly to ensure the parties fulfill their commitments under the agreement and complete all three phases. They will also coordinate with the United Nations, donor countries, and partners worldwide to support the rapid and sustainable increase of humanitarian aid to Gaza under the terms outlined in the agreement.

In this context, the statement called on “international actors to support these efforts in line with the mechanisms established for the agreement’s implementation.”