The Israeli army has killed nearly 20,000 fighters from Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, reported General Herzi Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.

Hezbollah has praised the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as a victory for the Palestinian people, saying Israel did not achieve any of its objectives.Hezbollah blasted the United States, saying that through its support to Israel,

Hamas is a Palestinian armed group and political movement in the Gaza Strip. On 7 October 2023 it attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. This triggered a massive Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Smoke rises inside the Gaza Strip, before a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas goes into effect, as seen from southern Israel, January 18, 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters The story so far: After 15 months of fighting,

The U.S.-proposed Gaza ceasefire deal, as presented, would result in a six-week ceasefire along, a limited exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the war-torn Palestinian territory in the first phase.

Three officials from the U.S. and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said final details were still being ironed out.

The Palestinian government is prepared to manage Gaza and the West Bank, seeking EU and Egypt's collaboration for humanitarian aid and security.

A year after Israel vowed to wipe Hamas ‘off the face of the earth’ following the 7 October attack into Israel the conflict has spread across the Middle East

Meanwhile on the ground in Gaza the ceasefire, which came into effect on January 19th, is holding. The first hostages have been released as have 90 Palestinian prisoners. Aid has begun to flow in. The idf has begun to dismantle some of its bases. Displaced Gazans are returning to the rubble of their homes.

First published in Arabic at Al-Quds al-Arabi. Translation from Gilbert Achcar's blog.

At least 10 people have been killed in the raids, and more than 40 wounded, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Dozens have been arrested, Palestinian officials told the Wafa news agency.