Washington, Jan 16 (IANS): In a significant development following months of intense diplomatic efforts Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal. The agreement, reached with the mediation of the US, Egypt, and Qatar, will halt the ongoing violence in Gaza, facilitate vital humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and bring home hostages who have been held captive for over 15 months.

Reflecting on the challenging path to this agreement, US President Joe Biden remarked that this was one of the toughest negotiations he has ever experienced.

"The road to this deal has not been easy. I have worked in foreign policy for decades – this has been one of the toughest negotiations I have ever experienced. And we have reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas backed by the United States," said Biden on social media X.

The US President emphasised the importance of the deal, which was initially proposed in May 2024 and later endorsed by the UN Security Council.

Biden outlined the key factors that led to this agreement, noting the intense pressure Hamas faced due to Israel's military actions, as well as the shifting regional landscape.

"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. My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done," he said.

The ceasefire deal has been hailed as a crucial step toward ending the violence that has ravaged Gaza, with Biden noting, "Even as we welcome this news, we remember all the families whose loved ones were killed in Hamas’s October 7th attack, and the many innocent people killed in the war that followed."

Biden also expressed deep empathy for American families affected by the hostage crisis, stating that efforts would continue to ensure the safe return of all hostages. "I am also thinking of the American families, three of whom have living hostages in Gaza and four awaiting return of remains after what has been the most horrible ordeal imaginable."

While celebrating the success of the deal, Biden reaffirmed the ongoing work needed to build lasting peace and security in the region.