Comprehensive Exchange Deal.. Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Comes to Light
The agreement represents a historic breakthrough after difficult negotiations in Doha, opening the door to ending Palestinian suffering in the besieged strip
January 15, 2025, 10:09 pm

Comprehensive Exchange Deal.. Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Comes to Light

القصف الإسرائيلي على قطاع غزة (العربية)

Qatari diplomatic efforts achieved a historic breakthrough with Qatari officials and Hamas leaders announcing today, Wednesday, reaching a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and prisoner exchange, coinciding with a U.S. official confirming parties reached an agreement ending the 15-month-long war in the Strip.

Intensive negotiations in Doha resulted in drafting an agreement including the release of dozens of Hamas-held detainees in exchange for releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, along with allowing displaced people to return and humanitarian aid to flow.

A Palestinian official source revealed that the official announcement will be from Cairo, indicating that three factions meeting in Doha unanimously approved the final draft.

Reuters reported from an Israeli official that Hamas agreed to the Qatari proposal, while Maariv newspaper confirmed the agreement's imminent signing.

U.S. website Axios highlighted positive progress in Doha talks, with expectations of finalizing the agreement Thursday, and Mohammed Sinwar's approval. Hamas began preparations for implementing the agreement by dividing prisoners into groups and coordinating with mediators and the Red Cross, while transferring American prisoners to safe locations.

Netanyahu assured hostages' families of his readiness for a long-term ceasefire to ensure their complete return, while Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari explained that negotiations reached their final stages after overcoming the last obstacles.

Two sources close to Hamas mentioned that the first phase includes releasing 33 detainees in exchange for freeing about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, in batches starting with children and women.

Levant-Agencies

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”