On the 15th of January, 2025, Israel reached an agreement with Hamas in which Hamas agreed to release hostages in exchange for Hamas militants and other Palestinian prisoners. The deal was celebrated in Gaza, which has been decimated in the war. This compromise brings hope that the war in the Middle East will soon come to an end.

The ceasefire came into effect on Sunday the 19th after a short delay, during which 20 more Palestinians were killed. CBS reports that for the first time in over a year, people heard children playing in the streets instead of the roar of fighter jets and air strikes. After a total of 471 days, three Israeli women were set free along with an expected 90 Palestinian prisoners. In the next six weeks, 33 hostages are expected to be released along with the three Americans, presumed to be alive, that were taken into captivity.

“After so much pain, destruction, and loss of life, today the guns in Gaza have gone silent. I’ve worked in foreign policy for decades. This is one of the toughest negotiations I have been part of.” said former President Joe Biden. He also stated that 4 more Israeli women will be released in 7 days along with 3 additional hostages every week. Several hundred aid trucks were sent to Gaza.