• US President-elect Donald Trump plans to use the Gaza ceasefire to further expand the Abraham Accords.
• The ceasefire deal, agreed upon after 15 months of conflict, involves a phased approach including hostages' release.
• World leaders, including Joe Biden and Barack Obama, have reacted positively to the ceasefire agreement.
• Trump celebrates the ceasefire as a significant achievement, claiming it is just the beginning of future positive developments.
• The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict has resulted in tremendous loss and suffering on both sides, making this ceasefire a critical milestone.

In a significant development following the recently reached Gaza ceasefire agreement, US President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to leverage this progress to further expand the Abraham Accords. This statement comes as a phased ceasefire deal was confirmed on Wednesday between Israel and Hamas, effectively bringing an end to a conflict that has lasted over 15 months and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians. The agreement outlines the gradual release of hostages taken by Hamas during their attacks on October 7, 2023, in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli custody (Indiatimes).

Trump expressed his enthusiasm on his Truth Social platform, claiming, “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November,” attributing the achievement to his administration's pursuit of peace and safety for Americans and their allies. He stated, “I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.” In his remarks, Trump highlighted that his national security team, under the leadership of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, would continue collaboration with Israel and allies to ensure Gaza would never again become a "terrorist safe haven" (Indiatimes).

Moreover, Trump vowed to capitalize on the momentum generated by the ceasefire to strengthen the ongoing Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations during his first term. He stated, “We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World.” (Indiatimes).

This ceasefire agreement has elicited positive responses from notable world leaders. President Joe Biden praised the achievement as a crucial step towards peace, remarking, “It’s a very good afternoon because at long last, I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas,” and stressed the relief it would bring to families impacted by the prolonged conflict. Former President Barack Obama also recognized the deal as “good news” for families of hostages and stressed the importance of stabilizing the region (Indiatimes, Indiatimes).

As the dust settles from a conflict that escalated severely after Hamas's aggressive actions on October 7, which left around 1,200 Israelis dead and over 46,000 Palestinians, this ceasefire marks a tentative point for potential peace and re-engagement in diplomatic talks in the region. The future will reveal the extent to which the leaders can build upon this progress to foster long-lasting stability.

For more information on this developing story, you can read the original articles on Indiatimes, Indiatimes, and Indiatimes.