A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been orchestrated and is set to begin on Friday, according to the Qatari Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.
The Qatar-backed agreement follows a brutal 11-day battle between Israel and Hamas that left more than 230 civilians dead in Gaza, and twelve in Israel.
The ceasefire will begin at 00:00 on Friday, and is intended to restore a foundation for peace talks between the two sides. It includes the release of prisoners and detainees by both sides, the establishment of a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of injured people, and the start of humanitarian aid and medical services.
The agreement was struck with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt, the United Nations, and the United States – which had previously accused Qatar of funding terrorism, providing financial support to Hamas, and allowing more than 3,000 Qatari nationals to enter Israel without permission to preserve the ceasefire.
Qatari Foreign Minister al-Thani said the ceasefire deal could open the door for a larger-scale discussion between Israel and the Palestinians, though he warned that maintaining the truce will hinge on Israel’s willingness to address the root causes of the 11-day conflict.
He said the agreement was a “major step” towards creating an environment suitable for peace negotiations. However, he also noted that the same issues that created the conflict have not been resolved, and that there are still underlying obstacles toward sustainable peace.
The agreement to end hostilities is a welcome relief to the region that was devastated by the violence, and is expected to be followed by a framework for Israeli-Palestinian discussions.