Foreign
Israel, Hamas agree Gaza ceasefire deal to halt 15-month war

Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage release agreement to halt more than a year of fighting in the Gaza Strip, President Biden and Qatar’s prime minister announced separately on Wednesday. The deal comes after a week of intense negotiations mediated by Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt.
“Today, after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal,” Mr. Biden said in a written statement. “This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much needed-humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity.”
Speaking from the White House Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Biden said, “There was no other way for this war to end than with a hostage deal, and I’m deeply satisfied this day has finally come, for the sake of the people of Israel, and for the families waiting in agony, and for the sake of the innocent people in Gaza who suffered unimaginable devastation because of the war.”
He said Americans will be among the hostages released in phase one of the deal, “and the vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home.”
The deal is expected to take effect Sunday, the White House said.
As news of the agreement broke, crowds gathered in Deir al Bala in Gaza, and celebratory gunfire was heard.
“I’m extremely happy,” one young Palestinian woman in the Gaza city of Khan Younis told CBS News. “The past 15 months I experienced tears, laughters, lost martyrs and people went into prison, but finally I feel the joy.”
“I am very happy, and today is the day I wished to hear about since the beginning of the war,” an elderly man said. “God is sending us hope,” he added.
The ceasefire is not yet in effect, and Israeli airstrikes continued Wednesday in Gaza City and Khan Younis after the news broke.
The families of the American hostages still being held in Gaza expressed their relief at the news of a deal.
“We are deeply grateful that there is finally an agreement between Israel and Hamas to bring our loved ones — Omer, Edan, Sagui, Itay, Keith, Gad, and Judi — home,” the families said in a statement. “We have been waiting for 467 days while our family members suffer from life-threatening injuries, abuse, torture, and sexual violence. We thank President Biden, President-elect Trump, and their teams for their constructive efforts to make this possible.”
A draft of the deal had been agreed to in principle earlier in the week, Arab, U.S. and Israeli officials told CBS News. It sets out a phased framework for a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages still held by Hamas for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. It also includes access for humanitarian aid to Gaza and the eventual ability of Palestinians in Gaza to return to areas they fled.
Intense negotiations had been underway in Doha for the past few weeks, with President Biden’s top Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, staying in the region for the better part of a month. McGurk has been closely coordinating with President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for special Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Mr. Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone on Sunday about the negotiations and again on Wednesday. A senior U.S. official described their latest conversation as “a very warm call, marking this moment.”
In Israel, families of the approximately 100 hostages still being held after Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 2023 attack, which saw the group and allied militants kill about 1,200 people, have been holding regular rallies demanding a negotiated deal for the release of their loved ones. The Israel Defense Forces has said it believes around a third of the hostages have already died.
More than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in Israeli strikes since the war began, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, and most of Gaza’s population is displaced and living in camps. Humanitarian groups have been struggling to deliver aid, and experts have warned of famine.
What is in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal?
Details of the deal are similar to a plan outlined by Mr. Biden last year. The deal is expected to go into effect on Sunday.
According to a draft from mediator sources, viewed by CBS News earlier this week, and Mr. Biden’s description, it would consist of three phases, each lasting about 42 days.
During the first phase, Hamas would release 33 women and children hostages, as well as hostages over 50 years old, the draft viewed by CBS News said. The first phase will also include the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, Mr. Biden said.
For each woman or child hostage returned to Israel, Israel is expected to release 30 Palestinian women and children from its prisons. Hamas would release all hostages over 50 years of age, and Israel would release 30 Palestinian prisoners aged 50 or older.
A senior Israeli official told CBS News that the release of hostages from Israel would begin on the first day of a 42-day ceasefire period. Mr. Biden said Americans will be among the first wave of hostages released.
On that first day, Hamas would release three hostages, according to the draft viewed by CBS News. On the seventh day, Hamas would release four hostages. Thereafter, Hamas would release three hostages taken from Israel every seven days, starting with the living and then moving on to return the bodies of those who have died.
During the exchange of hostages and prisoners, there would be a complete ceasefire in Gaza to allow aid to enter, the draft viewed by CBS News said. International aid groups and the United Nations would resume operations in Gaza, and would begin reconstruction of the enclave’s infrastructure, such as water, electricity and sewage systems.
The second phase of the deal would involve the release of all remaining male Israeli hostages and the withdrawal of all IDF forces from Gaza, the president announced Wednesday.
The third phase would include the exchange of bodies of deceased hostages and prisoners and the beginning of the reconstruction of Gaza, Mr. Biden said.
Trump responds to ceasefire and hostage release deal
In his remarks, Mr. Biden noted that the deal will largely be implemented after his successor, President-elect Donald Trump, takes office.
“This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, but its terms will be implemented, for the most part, by the next administration,” the president said. “For these past few days, we’ve been speaking as one team.”
Trump posted on social media as news broke of the hostage and ceasefire agreement.
“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump wrote. “I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.”
Trump said his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel “to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.”
“We have achieved so much without even being in the White House,” Trump wrote. “Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return to the White House, and my Administration is fully confirmed, so they can secure more Victories for the United States!”
Trump is at his Mar-a-Lago estate Wednesday, with five days to go until he becomes president.
Asked how much credit Trump should get for the deal, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby told CBS News’ Caitlin Huey-Burns: “I would hope we would all move beyond the question of who gets credit. I mean, I don’t think that the hostages are caring about that, and I don’t think their families care about that. I don’t think the Palestinians in Gaza care about who gets credit for this. The truth is that there’s a lot of credit to go around, including in the [Mideast] region.”
Kirby said the Biden administration worked closely with their counterparts on Trump’s team.
“It’s important to remember that this deal was the deal that President Biden negotiated and put on the table back in May, got international support for it. That’s the deal that we’re talking about being implemented here,” Kirby said. “And it was due to a lot of intense diplomacy by American diplomats.”
Foreign
Journalists rally against White House’s decision to modify allocation of seats in briefing room

The White House said Monday it is “seriously considering” taking control of deciding which journalists get seats in the famed briefing room, in the latest bid by President Donald Trump’s administration to exert power over the media.
The 49 spots in the press room, where spokespeople, officials and occasionally the president take the podium, have long been allocated by the non-partisan group of independent journalists, the White House Correspondents Association.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the WHCA of trying to maintain a “monetized monopoly over the briefing room.”
“As for switching up seating in the briefing room, it’s something we are seriously considering,” she told Fox News.
“The briefing room is part of the People’s House, it belongs to the American people. It does not belong to elitist journalists here in Washington DC.”
News outlet Axios reported earlier that the White House wanted to take control of the seating chart to give more prime front-of-room spots to new media, and move some legacy outlets further back.
The WHCA, of which AFP is a member, opposed the “wrong-headed” move.
“The reason the White House wants control of the briefing room is the same reason they took control of the pool: to exert pressure on journalists over coverage they disagree with,” WHCA President Eugene Daniels said in a statement.
The WHCA and the White House both said they had tried to broker a meeting on the issue.
It is the latest effort by the White House to shape who covers Trump after taking control from the WHCA in February of the “pool” that covers the president in the Oval Office and when he travels on Air Force One.
The White House has added access to the pool for new and in several cases openly pro-Trump media, while reducing access to mainstream organisations.
It also continues to bar the Associated Press news agency from almost all presidential events as it refuses to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” the name newly decreed by Trump.
AFP
Foreign
Ghana: Govt cancels sale of diplomatic properties in Nigeria, Zambia

The Ghanaian government has canceled two transactions initiated by the previous administration under the leadership of former president Nana Akufo-Addo to sell Ghanaian diplomatic properties in Nigeria and Zambia.
“Yesterday I informed Parliament that with the full backing of President Mahama, we have cancelled two transactions initiated by the previous Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to sell Ghanaian diplomatic properties in Nigeria and Zambia.” Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on his X.
According to the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, the current administration is determined to retrieve an illegal part payment in one of the transactions.
Adding that those who are involved in these illegal transactions will be sanctioned.
“Determined efforts are underway to retrieve an illegal part payment in one of the transactions. The masterminds, who are currently on the run will surely be found and sanctioned.” He added.
He said the NDC government is committed to their promise that no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana would be sold under President John Dramani Mahama administration.
Hon. Ablakwa warned that none of our diplomatic properties either in Ghana or any of our 71 diplomatic missions abroad are available for sale.
“We mean it when we say no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana would be sold under our watch. Notice is hereby served that none of our diplomatic properties either in Ghana or any of our 71 diplomatic missions abroad are available for sale — hands off!” He stated.
According to him, they will use the principles of Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) to protect properties belonging to the state as well as the public purse.
“The principles of ORAL, strict abhorrence for State Capture and the national interest shall continue to guide our decisions. For God and Country.” Ablakwa assured.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
Foreign
Namibia to enforce visa requirement on U.S citizens

Namibia has imposed visa requirements on U.S. citizen tourists starting from April 1, 2025.
According to the Namibian Government, U.S. citizen tourists who wish to visit the Southern African country should obtain a visa before entering the country.
The U.S Embassy in Namibia posted that US visitors are required to apply for a visa through Namibia’s online visa on arrival portal: https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival.
“Beginning April 1, 2025, the Namibian Government will require U.S. citizen tourists to obtain a visa prior to entering the country. Visitors are recommended to apply for their visa in advance of planned travel through Namibia’s online visa on arrival portal: https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival. Visitors using this online visa application system must carry a hard copy of their approval notice when they travel.” The Embassy posted.
The Namibian Government added that visitors arriving in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Katima Mulilo, Ngoma will also have the option of purchasing a tourist visa upon arrival at the respective airport or border crossing point.
“Visitors arriving in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, or entering at high volume border crossing points (e.g., Katima Mulilo, Ngoma) will also have the option of purchasing a tourist visa upon arrival at the respective airport or border crossing point. Namibia’s visa on arrival system is new and implementation details are subject to change.” They added.
The decision by the Namibian government to impose visa requirements on US citizens has met mixed reactions on social media.
While others are commending the government, others have also raised concerns about the negative impact on the Namibia economy as tourism contributes higher income to the government.
Some political actors believe Namibian female President, H.E. Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took the decision to reciprocate the US government visa restrictions and some Western countries who have denied visa free entry to Namibians.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
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