Dutch PM Schoof says Israel-Hamas ceasefire "is a huge breakthrough"

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said he was pleased by the announcement on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement about a ceasefire after a 15-month conflict in the Gaza Strip. He praised efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, saying, "The Netherlands strongly advocated for this outcome, together with international partners."

The ceasefire was announced 466 days after the conflict began. The war started with a Hamas invasion into Israel when roughly 1,200 people were killed on October 7, 2023. Most of the victims were civilians. Another 250 individuals were kidnapped, including 100 who may still be held captive in Gaza.

Just over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory acts since then, and more than 109,000 Palestinians injured. Israel claims it killed 17,000 militants, and blamed Hamas for civilian casualties, claiming that the organization operates in residential areas and hospitals.

The ceasefire calls for the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including children, women, and men over the age of 50. Israel will then released about a thousand Palestinians taken prisoner since the outbreak of war, and Palestinians imprisoned since before the war, some of whom are serving a life sentence.

"Going forward, it is important that both parties stick to the agreements made, so that much more crucial humanitarian aid can reach the suffering people of Gaza, and the hostages can finally be reunited with their loved ones," Schoof said. "This deal is an important step towards de-escalation in the Middle East, and lasting peace."

Israel will also bring its forces inside of Gaza closer to the Israeli border, with corridors set up to provide aid from up to 600 trucks per day, medical care, and to allow Palestinian civilians to return to their homes. Roughly 2.1 million of the 2.3 million people living in Gaza have been displaced since the war started.

This first of three phases will last about six weeks. Authorities from the U.S., Qatar and Egypt involved in the negotiations said they will continue to press for more talks to secure the terms of the two subsequent phases. This will include Hamas releasing any remaining captives, mainly men below the age of 50 who still can serve in the Israeli military. Palestinians would see more of their prisoners released from Israel, with Israel further withdrawing from Gaza. The final phase would likely include a final release of prisoners by Hamas in exchange for a longer term rebuilding effort.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the deal is the result of the "precise contours" of a plan he proposed at the end of May 2024, which was supported by the United Nations 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.

“We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East,” U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump wrote on his social media platform in all capital letters. “They will be released shortly.” He attributed the prospect of an agreement to his election victory in November. With Trump set to take office on Monday, he said his Cabinet “will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza never again becomes a terrorist safe haven.”