Israel, Hamas agree to six-week ceasefire, hostage release deal

A ceasefire deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas.

The six-week ceasefire will begin Sunday, and includes the exchange of prisoners and hostages.

Lee Seung-jae has more.

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal, that will put a halt to the conflict in Gaza for six weeks beginning on Sunday.

Qatar's Prime Minister announced the ceasefire deal on Wednesday, adding his hope that the pause in fighting will lead to an eventual permanent ceasefire.

"Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States, are happy to announce the success of joint mediation efforts in order to reach a deal between the parties in conflict in the Gaza territory to exchange prisoners and hostages, and a return to a prolonged truce that achieves a permanent ceasefire between the two sides."

As part of the ceasefire deal, the Palestinian militant group is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages initially.

In exchange, Israel will release 30 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli hostage, and 50 Palestinian prisoners for every one of the five female Israeli soldiers being held in Gaza.

Within the first 42 days of the deal, females and hostages under 19 years old will be released.

They make up the 33 Israeli hostages mentioned in the agreement.

Reports say some 1-thousand-650 Palestinian prisoners could be released as part of the deal.

Pundits say the growing pressure to have Israeli hostages returned home forced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to the ceasefire deal, while others say the election of Donald Trump was behind it.

However,.. both Trump and U.S. President Joe Biden were quick to take credit.

Speaking from the White House on Wednesday, Biden said the deal was reached under "the precise contours" of a plan he set out in May last year.

Biden added that the ceasefire deal was the result of "painstaking American diplomacy."

On the other hand, Trump took to Truth Social to say that the ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of his "Historic Victory" in November.

Biden says negotiations will continue beyond the latest temporary ceasefire to phase two of the deal, that could include a permanent halt to the conflict in Gaza.

Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.