On Friday, the Moroccan government expressed its approval of the Israel-Gaza ceasefire agreement, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizing hopes that all parties involved will uphold the terms of the deal.
“The Kingdom of Morocco welcomes the progress made towards halting the hostilities and attacks that have been unleashed on civilians since October 7, 2023,” said the ministry in a statement.
The Moroccan government urged both Palestinian and Israeli parties to embrace peace, calling for a genuine and constructive commitment from all sides.
Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, have reached a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, potentially marking the end of Israel’s ongoing military operations in the region.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced the ceasefire during a press conference in Doha, confirming that it would take effect on Sunday.
“It gives us great pleasure… to announce the success of the joint mediation efforts and the fact that the two belligerents in the Gaza Strip have reached a deal on the prisoner and the hostage swap and announce a ceasefire in the hopes of reaching a permanent ceasefire between the two sides, as well as allowing the access of large quantities of relief aid to the Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip,” Al Thani said.
Qatar, in collaboration with Egypt and the United States, played a key role in facilitating the ceasefire agreement with Israel. The incoming U.S. administration under President-elect Donald Trump also contributed by exerting pressure on Israel to reach the deal.
During his remarks in Doha, Al Thani expressed gratitude to Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, and Brett McGurk, the current U.S. coordinator for the Middle East, for their efforts in advancing the tense negotiations.
Trump had warned there would be “hell to pay” if a deal to release the Israeli captives was not sealed by his inauguration on 20 January. Among those captives are US citizens.
The president-elect was quick to take credit for the deal, posting on his TruthSocial platform: “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans.”
“My National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH,” Trump wrote.
Shortly after, the outgoing president Joe Biden issued his statement taking credit for the deal, insisting that Hamas caused the delay, and not the Israelis.
“I laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council. It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran — but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy,” Biden said.
“My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done.”
In June, Hamas announced its acceptance of President Biden’s proposed deal. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the agreement, despite claims from Washington at the time that he had agreed to it.
“We are all waiting for the return of our brothers and sisters,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said shortly after the ceasefire was announced. He also urged Netanyahu’s security cabinet to get behind the deal.
The Israeli government is set to vote on the ceasefire agreement on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Hamas’s acting leader, Khalil al-Hayya, stated on Wednesday that Israel had failed to meet its objectives in Gaza, suggesting that the 16-month-long assault had devolved into a costly war of attrition for Tel Aviv.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed hope on Wednesday that the deal would eliminate significant security and political hurdles that have hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. He also confirmed that the UN is prepared to increase its relief efforts as the agreement stipulates.
The agreement
The terms of the ceasefire agreement outline a six-week initial phase, which will include the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
According to the details obtained by Vivid Voice News, 33 Israeli captives held in Gaza will be freed during the first phase, including nine who are sick or wounded. In return, Israel will release 1,000 Palestinians detained since October 8, 2023.
The exchange will also include several men over the age of 50, with those held in Gaza set to be released in a 1:3 ratio for Palestinians serving life sentences, and a 1:27 ratio for those serving other sentences.
Additionally, Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, who have been in captivity since before the war, will be freed in exchange for 60 Palestinian prisoners, including 47 individuals re-arrested after being freed in the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner swap.
As part of the first phase, Israel will begin its withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, starting with areas in the east, such as the Netzarim Corridor and the Kuwait roundabout. The Netzarim Corridor, a six-kilometer area referred to as the “axis of death” by Palestinians, was created by Israel’s military during the ongoing conflict. It stretches from the Israeli-Gaza boundary to the Mediterranean Sea and has been used to monitor and control the movement of Palestinians between northern and southern Gaza.
Also Read: Israeli airstrikes kill at least 25 Palestinians in Gaza
Despite earlier statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that there would be no withdrawal from the area under a truce, Israeli forces will now retreat to a perimeter 700 meters from Gaza’s boundary, with five localized points where the perimeter will be extended by 400 meters.
Regarding the 14-kilometer-wide Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt, Israel will reduce its forces in this buffer zone during the initial phase.
The ongoing conflict has led to more than 46,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, nearly half of whom are children. A recent peer-reviewed study published by The Lancet found that the death toll is likely underreported by 41% due to the scale of Israel’s attack and the lack of rescue operations and functional hospitals.
The UN has condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, describing them as “acts of genocide,” a view also supported by several Israeli historians.
