The Israeli government and Hamas have agreed on a ceasefire deal that will stop the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, sources told CBS News and CNN.
According to the source, the “Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal was reached following the Qatari PM’s meeting with Hamas negotiators and separately Israeli negotiators in his office.”
Implementation of the deal is set to start soon, which would see Hamas release 33 hostages during the first phase, while Israel would release hundreds of Palestinians in its prisons.
The release of the hostages would be the first phase of the deal being finalized, CNN reported, adding that negotiations to reach the second phase, which is intended to end the war, would begin on the 16th day of the implementation of the deal.
A Hamas official has told the BBC it has told Qatari and Egyptian mediators that Hamas has approved the ceasefire agreement.
US President-elect Donald Trump, confirming the deal in a post on his Truth Social platform on X, said, “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!”.
On Tuesday, an Israeli government spokesperson said good progress was being made on the deal, as the indirect negotiations led by Qatari and Egyptian mediators were progressing well.
“We are really hoping that we will soon be able to announce good news,” he said, adding, “We are close, but not yet at the conclusion.”
He pointed to important progress over recent weeks and over the past days in particular, with Hamas showing greater seriousness than previously.
The talks in Doha were in a “critical time window,” he said.
He pointed to important progress over recent weeks and the past days in particular, with Hamas showing greater seriousness than previously.
The war in Gaza escalated after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1208 and kidnapping 251 persons.
Since then, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has left over 46,000 causalities, the Palestinian health ministry said—a report considered reliable by the United Nations.