US 'confident' ceasefire deal will be agreed despite issues raised by Israel

News that Israel and Hamas have reached a hostage release deal is bittersweet for Ruth Strum as one of her sons is expected to be freed, but a second will be left behind in captivity for now.

“It is not easy for a mother to hear this,” Ms Strum told Reuters, wearing a red t-shirt emblazoned with photos of her two burly sons and the plea: “Bring Iair and Eitan home”.

Although she has no information on their whereabouts in the heavily bombarded Gaza Strip, Ms Strum said she was sure they had been kept together.

“But what will happen at the moment when they will be separated and told that one is coming out and one is not?” she said, her voice quivering. “I know that their strength is to be together, to be there for each other.”

Eitan Horn, 38, who lives with his mother, was staying with his brother Iair Horn, 46, at his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza fence, when Hamas launched its surprise attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

The two men were seized and dragged into the Palestinian enclave along with 249 other Israelis and foreigners, triggering a war that has devastated Gaza.

Some 98 hostages are still in captivity, but under the terms of Wednesday’s ceasefire, only 33 will be released over the next six weeks, including women and children, men over 50 and sick or wounded people. This suggests Iair might not be well, although there has been no word about his health.

The handover of the remaining 65, some of whom are believed to be dead, is due to be negotiated subsequently.

Since the abduction of Iair and Eitan, Ms Strum has clung to fragments of information about them. The last confirmation of their wellbeing came during a brief truce in November 2023, when some released hostages mentioned seeing the brothers alive.

“They said that they were not injured,” she recounted. “At first, they were held in an apartment but were later moved to the tunnels.”

Ms Strum has thrown herself tirelessly into campaigning for the release of all the hostages, whose faces are plastered on posters across Israel, covering bus stops, stapled to trees and wrapped around lampposts.

“I want all 98 hostages to be brought home,” she said.

Making a direct plea to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom critics say has been too hesitant to strike a deal with Hamas, Ms Strum said: “I ask you, Bibi, do everything. The people are with you. You have the support to make this happen.”

While she prepares for Iair’s return, Ms Strum allows herself to imagine the moment when both sons will be reunited with her. “I picture us together in the hospital, that I’ll be able to give them everything they need,” she said.

“I’m waiting for that embrace.”

Charity ActionAid has said it is “devastated” by the killing of one of its staff members in Gaza.

Fatin Shaqoura-Salha, nursing staff chief at Al-Awda hospital in Nuseirat, run by ActionAid’s partner Al-Awda, was killed in Gaza when her home was struck by the Israeli military on Wednesday as ceasefire negotiations were underway, ActionAid said.

Ms Shaqoura-Salha’s husband and their children were also killed in the strike just hours before the ceasefire deal was announced, the charity added.

ActionAid is demanding an immediate end to the attacks on Gaza, to stop any more lives being lost.

“Palestinians are now hoping they will survive the next three days to see the truce come into effect on Sunday,” it said.

The US is “confident” the ceasefire will go ahead on Sunday despite “last-minute issues” raised by Israel’s prime minister, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby has said.

Kirby told NBC News’s Today programme: “We’re going to get there. We’re aware of these issues that the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] has raised today, this afternoon, their time, and we’re working through that.

“Our team on the ground is actually working with him and his team to iron all this out and flatten it and get it moving forward.

“Obviously, this has got to get approved by the Israeli government. Prime Minister Netanyahu knows that and he’s working through that process as well. But we’re confident that we’ll be able to solve these last-minute issues and get it moving, and that this ceasefire can take place starting on Sunday.”

The European Union has announced a fresh €120m humanitarian aid package for Gaza as part of its long standing commitment to support Palestinians.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: “The ceasefire and hostage release agreement offers hope the region desperately needed. But the humanitarian situation remains grim in Gaza.”

The aid package will include:

• Food assistance to address acute food insecurity and malnutrition
• Healthcare assistance to support the functioning of healthcare facilities and provide medical supplies
• Water, sanitation, and hygiene support to allow access to water and sanitation services
• Shelter assistance to provide safe and secure accommodation for those who have been displaced
• Protection assistance to support the safety and dignity of vulnerable populations

It brings total EU humanitarian assistance to Gaza to over €450m since 2023 and is in addition to the EU Air Bridge Flights which have delivered over 3,800 tonnes of aid.  

Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova praised “the patient and persistent work of Qatari and Egyptian mediators” who helped broker the agreement and noted that “at the final stage, representatives of the new American administration also joined the negotiating marathon”.

Zakharova said at a briefing: “We expect that the implementation of the agreement reached now will contribute to the sustainable stabilisation of the situation in Gaza and create conditions for the return of all internally displaced persons … and allow Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released as a result of the deal to join their families.”

She specifically mentioned Russian citizen Alexander Trufanov, who was held in the Gaza Strip along other hostages.

“We believe that the conclusion of this agreement will contribute to the formation of the necessary conditions for establishing a process of a comprehensive political settlement of the Palestinian problem on a generally accepted international legal basis,” Zakharova added.

The most important feature of the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas is that, for the moment at least, the slaughter that has already killed more than 46,000 Palestinians and turned Gaza into a sea of ruins will stop.

But the legacy of hatred left by this ferocious conflict will shape attitudes in the Middle East for decades to come. In this respect the conflict may prove as influential as the Palestinian Nakba, or catastrophe, of 1948, when 750,000 Palestinians were forced to flee their homes. This time around, 2.3 million Palestinians were forced to flee their homes, but with nowhere to escape to.

The Gaza war – starting with the Hamas raid into Israel on 7 October, 2023 – initiated other wars in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah that will not go away. Israel, backed unreservedly by US political and military power, has won a huge, though not necessarily permanent, victory. It has radically shifted the balance of power against the Arabs and towards Israel and the US.

Hezbollah in Lebanon has been decisively weakened. The Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad imploded last month. The Syrian state, for half a century the most powerful hostile Arab nation state in Israel’s neighbourhood, may not be resurrected. We have entered a period when Greater Israel and, to a much lesser extent, Greater Turkey, have become the dominant regional powers in the Middle East.

The Hamas raid 15 months ago was geared to destroy the status quo in the Middle East. It succeeded in doing so, but not necessarily to Palestinian advantage. An Israeli annexation of all or some of the West Bank looks more and more likely with a fiercely pro-Israeli US administration in the White House.

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Continuing his statement in the House of Commons, Lammy said the conflict has been “littered with missed opportunities” for peace.

“Much remains to be done,” he said after a ceasefire deal had been reached. “Now is not the time for any backtracking. Both sides must implement each phase of the deal in full and on time. The history of this conflict is littered with missed opportunities.

“It would be a tragedy to let slip the chance before us, not just for a ceasefire but for a lasting peace, the chance to break the cycle of violence which has inflicted so much suffering on innocent people on both sides.”

The ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel has been praised by a Nato official.

“Nato welcomes the ceasefire; hostage release agreement in Gaza. We commend Egypt, Qatar; USA for their efforts in brokering this deal that brings hope to the region,” Nato official Javier Colomina wrote on X.

“Full implementation of the agreement will be crucial as a first step to greater stability in the Middle East.”

The Foreign Secretary has said he “never believed” that Hamas could be eradicated “solely by military force”.

Conservative former minister Andrew Mitchell told MPs: “The deal must be implemented in good faith and I very much welcome the comment [Lammy] made that Hamas can never again govern that space.

“Can I pay tribute to the extraordinary hard work and effectiveness of his diplomats and officials, and underline that Britain has a very important role to play in what comes next, and will he bear in mind that abject devastation can lead to unforeseen breakthroughs.

“Following the [1973] Yom Kippur War, we saw peace with Egypt and it was after the Intifada [1987-93 Palestinian uprising] that very significant progress was made on the Oslo Accords.”

The Foreign Secretary replied: “I never believed, as some in the Israeli government believed, that they could eradicate Hamas solely by military force.

“What eradicates extremism is diplomacy and a political solution, and a political horizon that pulls the rug from under the terrorists, and that’s why it’s hugely important that the UK now plays its full role on that political solution, that political horizon that actually brings about the peace, and not another generation of militant young men with terrorism and pain in their hearts.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said the Israeli government should “hear a united House of Commons” and their “expectations” as they discuss the ceasefire deal.

Responding to SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, Lammy said: “This party has always stressed the seriousness, of course, of the security and Israel’s security in this most toughest of neighbourhood, with Iran and its proxies up to so much malign intent.

“But we have always, always insisted that it must be within international humanitarian law, and we have raised our concerns at every turn when we felt that that was being breached.

“Can I also say to him that it is my sincere hope as the Israeli cabinet meet to approve this deal that in this most serious of moments that they hear what president-elect Trump has said about his expectations on this deal, that they hear a united House of Commons at this moment and our expectations on this deal, and that they do the right thing.”

A senior official has denied that Israel has agreed to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor under the terms of the ceasefire.

The corridor spans the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, including the Rafah Crossing.

The agreement had suggested the troops would withdraw from the corridor but an official told The Times of Israel soldiers will remain “throughout the entire first stage”.

The number of troops deployed there will remain the same, the official said, “but will be distributed in a different manner, including outposts, patrols, observation points and control along the entire route.”

The shadow Foreign Secretary has said there is a “long road ahead” at one of the most important moments for the Middle East.

Dame Priti Patel told MPs: “Every single hostage must be returned safely home and reunited with family and friends after 15 months of the most unimaginably cruelty at the hands of Hamas.”

Patel said the Conservatives expect the Government to be fully engaged and involved in the “heavy lifting that is really required now at this crucial time to make this agreement work and last”.

David Lammy acknowledged it will take time to rebuild trust between Israel and Palestinians after the war has ended, and said it should provide the basis for a permanent two-state solution.

Lammy told MPs: “Ultimately, it will take time to rebuild Gaza and rebuild trust between the two sides.

“There are risks, I must warn the House, at every turn, but we must try to use this agreement to establish a credible pathway to a two-state solution with equal measures of security, dignity and justice for Israeli and Palestinians alike.

“The decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians cannot be managed, it must now be resolved.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has used his statement in the Commons to reflect on the victims the war in Gaza as he called the ceasefire deal “a moment to unite”.

He told MPs: “Among the victims was Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed alongside members of her family and the paramedics who came to rescue her. Among the victims were many journalists dedicated to documenting the horrors around them.

“Among the victims were aid workers dedicated to serving others, including British citizens John Chapman, James Henderson and James Kirby. I invite the House to join me in remembering them all. We mourn every innocent victim.

“Beyond Israel and Gaza, this conflict has brought yet more tensions and conflict into the wider region. Unprecedented Iranian attacks, a renewed conflict in Lebanon, Houthi strikes in the Red Sea and into Israel.

“At times too, our own communities, indeed this House, have been divided by this war. This, then, is a moment of hope for all of us, a moment to unite in support of this ceasefire.”

The Foreign Secretary has urged the Israeli cabinet to back the deal when they meet today.

A cabinet meeting to ratify the agreement has been delayed after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval.

Speaking in the Commons, David Lammy told MP: “Much remains to be done. It is critical that there is final approval of this agreement. As the Israeli cabinet meets, I urge them to back this deal. Now is not the time for any backtracking. Both sides must implement each phase of the deal in full and on time.

“The history of this conflict is littered with missed opportunities. It would be a tragedy to let slip the chance before us, we must grab it with both hands, the chance not just for a ceasefire but for a lasting peace, the chance to break the cycle of violence which has inflicted so much suffering on innocent people on both sides.

“The Government is committed to sustaining momentum, however fragile the process at first may be. Every hostage must be released, as set out in the agreement, every ounce of aid promised to Gaza must reach those in need.”

In the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, large crowds of joyful Palestinians took to the streets, with people cheering and honking car horns.

“No one can feel the feeling that we are experiencing now, an indescribable, indescribable feeling,” said Mahmoud Wadi in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah.

Ashraf Sahwiel, a displaced man from Gaza City, told the AP news agency by phone that people were celebrating the ceasefire announcement on Wednesday evening.

“People are happy after the suffering they’ve seen for more than a year. We hope it gets implemented,” said Mr Sahwiel, who is currently living in a tent in Deir al-Balah with five family members.

He added everyone has been closely following the negotiations the past few days, including children who are eager to return to their homes.

Some Palestinians are calling for the deal to be implemented more quickly.

“We lose homes every hour. We demand for this joy not to go away, the joy that was drawn on our faces – don’t waste it by delaying the implementation of the truce until Sunday,” Gazan man Mahmoud Abu Wardeh said.

Germany’s Lufthansa Group is set to resume flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel from 1 February, with carriers Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines and Swiss included in the decision.

The suspension of Lufthansa flights to and from Tehran up to and including 14 February remains in place and the airline will not fly to Beirut in Lebanon up to and including 28 February.

Meanwhile, Wizz Air restarted its London to Tel Aviv route today. The airline also resumed flights to Amman, Jordan from London Luton.

Many Western carriers cancelled flights to swaths of the Middle East in recent months, including Beirut and Tel Aviv, as conflict tore across the region. Airlines also avoided Iraqi and Iranian airspace out of fear of getting accidentally caught in drone or missile warfare.

Ryanair said it was hoping to run a full summer schedule to and from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv in an interview with Reuters last week, before the current ceasefire deal was announced.

Israeli air strikes in Gaza have killed at least 71 people and injured more than 200 since the announcement of a ceasefire deal, according to the Gaza civil emergency service.

The families of hostages held in Gaza have welcomed the ceasefire and hostage release deal that is set to see their loved ones freed with “overwhelming joy and relief”.

In a statement, Bring Them Home Now, which represents the families of 98 hostages said it was profoundly grateful to “President-elect Trump, President Biden, both administrations, and the international mediators for making this possible”.

“This is a significant step forward that brings us closer to seeing all hostages return – the living to rehabilitation, and the deceased for proper burial. However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind.”

The parents of a man who was abducted from the Nova music festival during the 7 October attacks and later killed in captivity, have said they are celebrating the deal but will endure a lifelong struggle with the fact a deal was not reached sooner.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin said in a statement: “Our beloved son Hersh and so many other innocent civilians should have been saved long ago by a deal like this one, especially since the framework for today’s deal has been in place since May 2024.”

Sharone Lifschitz, whose father Oded is being held hostage, told AP she was stunned and grateful but would not believe it until she sees them come home.

“I can’t wait to see them coming back to their families I’m so desperate to see them if by some miracle my father has survived,” she said.

Vered Froner, who hid with her mother in a safe room for 17 hours in Nachal Oz kibbutz during the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas, said she would prefer to have all the hostages return at once rather than a phased approach.

“I don’t trust Hamas, don’t trust them at all to bring them back,” she said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the Israel-Hamas ceasefire “is very welcome” and will be a huge relief to hostages, their families and the many Palestinians who have suffered.

“It will be a huge relief to hostages and their families who have been through the most awful, awful of time. It’s really important they’re released just as quickly as possible.”

During his first trip to the Ukrainian capital as Prime Minister, Starmer told British broadcasters in Kyiv: “There will be relief for the very many Palestinians who have suffered hugely as well. This must be used to get desperately needed aid in, at scale and at speed.

“But it must also – and I’ve been talking to regional leaders about this – be used obviously to get through the various stages. But also there’s a path to a lasting peace which has to be a two-state solution, a viable Palestinian state and a safe and secure Israel. So we’re working with those in the region and our allies to make sure that this welcome news is enduring news and we’ll be putting all of our efforts into that.”