Egypt, Qatar, and the United States issued a joint statement on Wednesday announcing that the conflicting parties in Gaza have reached an agreement for a ceasefire and hostage exchange, which will take effect on January 19.

The agreement includes three phases, with the first phase lasting 42 days. It involves a temporary halt to military operations, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated residential areas, as well as the exchange of prisoners, hostages, and the remains of the deceased.

The first phase also includes the return of displaced persons to their homes in Gaza, and the facilitation of the departure of patients and wounded individuals for medical treatment abroad.

Similarly, humanitarian aid will be increased and distributed safely and effectively, alongside the rehabilitation of hospitals, health centers, and bakeries, as well as the provision of civil defense supplies and fuel to meet the needs of the war-affected population.

During this phase, Hamas will release 33 Israeli detainees in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and civil defense supplies and fuel will be delivered. Mediation between the parties will continue to ensure the safe and effective implementation of the agreement.

In the second phase, a permanent return to calm will be declared, while the third phase will witness the start of Gaza’s reconstruction process over the next 3 to 5 years.