The Eastern Congo rebel coalition, which includes the M23 group, has announced a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, yielding to international pressure to halt the escalating conflict. The ceasefire is set to take effect on February 4, and the group has no plans to advance on Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.

The conflict has already claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands wounded, heightening fears of a broader regional war. At least 900 bodies have been recovered from the streets of Goma since the violence intensified, according to a statement from the Congo River Alliance.

The alliance's decision to declare a ceasefire comes after intense international pressure, with world leaders calling for an immediate end to the violence. The Congolese government, alongside U.N. officials and Western powers, including the United States, has accused neighboring Rwanda of exacerbating the conflict by deploying thousands of troops and heavy weaponry in support of M23.

According to UN experts, an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are allegedly overseeing and assisting M23 fighters in eastern DRC, surpassing the rebel group's numbers in the region. Rwanda, however, denies supporting the M23 rebels, insisting its actions are defensive and accusing Congo of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia responsible for attacks on Tutsis in both countries.

In a joint statement on Monday, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) nations—including the United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, France, Canada, and the United Kingdom—demanded that M23 and the Rwanda Defense Force halt their military offensives. "We urge M23 and the Rwanda Defense Force to cease their offensive in all directions," the foreign ministers said in a statement Monday.

The ongoing violence, part of a conflict that has raged for over three decades, has already claimed more than 900 lives and displaced millions. The latest incursion by the M23 militia has drawn strong condemnation from the international community, with world leaders calling for an immediate ceasefire.

The situation remains volatile, with the Congolese government and international community urging M23 and Rwanda to adhere to the ceasefire and engage in diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully. As the situation unfolds, the world watches with bated breath, hoping for a lasting resolution to the decades-long conflict in eastern Congo.