Ceasefire Reached Between Israel and Hamas
 After months of U.S.-led diplomacy, Israel and Hamas agreed on January 15 to a ceasefire and hostage deal, halting the fighting in Gaza, delivering humanitarian aid, and reuniting hostages with their families after over 15 months in captivity.
“Even as we welcome this news, we remember all the families whose loved ones were killed in Hamas’s October 7th attack, and the many innocent people killed in the war that followed,” President Biden said in a statement. “It is long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin.”
The agreement came a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks at the Atlantic Council, where he outlined a post-conflict plan to “allow Israel to fully withdraw from Gaza, prevent Hamas from filling back in, and provide for Gaza’s governance, security, and reconstruction.”
 Secretary Blinken concluded his final trip, visiting the Republic of Korea, Japan, France, and Italy. During his travels, he reinforced the importance of U.S. partnerships in tackling global challenges, from security to climate change.
“I’ve traveled over a million miles in this role, and everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve heard from people with a strong desire to work together with the United States,” Secretary Blinken said on X/Twitter. “Because of the work we’ve done to bring countries together, we’ve advanced progress for people in America and around the world.”
As Secretary Blinken wrapped up his time in office, he delivered farewell remarks to Department of State employees and remembered the people he met along the way.
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