Hey amigos! Big news coming from the Middle East 🌍. Egypt has stepped up as a peace-maker, announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that's set to kick off at 8:30 a.m. local time this Sunday! ⏰
In an epic exchange, Israel will free more than 1,890 Palestinian prisoners, while Hamas will release 33 Israeli detainees. Talk about a significant move towards peace! ✌️
This is just the first phase of a 42-day ceasefire agreement, all thanks to some serious teamwork by Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. 🤝 The Egyptian Foreign Ministry is super committed to making sure everything goes smoothly in all three stages of this agreement.
Egypt is calling on the international community—especially the U.S.—to back this deal and help turn it into a lasting peace. They're also urging everyone to pitch in with humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people and to jump-start plans to rebuild Gaza. 🏗️
But wait, there's more! Egypt wants both sides to rebuild trust and get back to the negotiating table to finally address the Palestinian cause with a two-state solution—aiming for an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. 🕊️🇵🇸🇮🇱
To keep things on track, Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. are setting up a joint operations room (cool, right?) based in Egypt. This hub will monitor the prisoner exchanges, ensure humanitarian aid gets through, and manage movement at the Rafah crossing. 🚪
Since October 7, Israel and Hamas have been locked in a fierce conflict that's caused immense suffering. Over 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza have lost their lives, and the region has seen unprecedented destruction 😢. It all escalated when Hamas launched a surprise attack, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and more than 250 hostages being taken.
Here's hoping this ceasefire is the first step towards lasting peace and healing in the region. 🤞💖
Reference(s):
Israel to free Palestinian prisoners, retains right to return to war
cgtn.com
