Ceasefire deal begins between Israel and Hamas – 21 January 2025
A new peace agreement between Israel and Hamas has started, bringing the first break in fighting after 15 months of conflict.
Photographer: Ahmad Salem/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A convoy carrying members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), responsible for receiving Israeli hostages, enters the Gaza Strip following the start of a ceasefire, in southern Gaza, on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. A long-delayed ceasefire in the Gaza war began taking hold as Hamas released three hostages on Sunday in exchange for 90 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The six-week ceasefire deal includes releasing people held captive on both sides and allowing food and supplies to reach Gaza.
Under the agreement, 33 people held by Hamas will be freed over the course of the six weeks, while Israel will release 737 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli forces will also move back from some areas of Gaza, creating a safe zone that will let many families return to their homes.
The deal, helped by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, aims to reduce tensions in the region and provide much-needed relief to Gaza’s residents.
You can read more about the deal in this Friday’s issue of First News.
