Israel and Hamas reach an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages

A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, more than 15 months into the conflict.

The deal, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, is currently being finalized, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced during remarks in Doha late Wednesday. The Israelis will take the deal back to their government for approval, he said.

The agreement begins on Sunday with the first six-week phase, in which some Israeli forces withdraw to allow more aid to enter and the release of 33 hostages in Gaza, starting with women, children and the elderly, according to Qatar’s prime minister. A number of Palestinian prisoners will also be released, he said.

According to the Hamas delegation in Doha, the terms agreed to by Hamas included the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi Corridor, in stages and the handing over of 33 Israeli prisoners, dead and alive, in exchange for the release of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The negotiations will be completed in stages for the release of the remaining hostages, according to the Hamas delegation.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement that it has resolved an issue of forces on the Philadelphi corridor, although there are several “unresolved clauses” in the deal, which it hopes to finalize by Wednesday night.

Israel said its security cabinet will meet on Thursday to approve the deal.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the deal is “the right step” and urged the Israeli government to approve it.

“There is no greater moral, human, Jewish or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us — whether to recover at home or to be laid to rest,” he said.

The provisions also include the opening of the Rafah crossing, according to the Hamas delegation. Coordination is currently underway to open the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing to allow access for international aid to Gaza, an Egyptian security source told ABC News.

The second and third phases of the agreement will be completed after the first phase, Qatar’s prime minister said. Phase two will mark a “permanent end to the war,” President Joe Biden said during remarks Wednesday.

During phase two, the remaining living hostages will be released and all remaining Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza, according to Biden. The remains of the last hostages will be returned in phase three and a “major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin,” Biden said.

Biden said the broker countries have pledged to make sure the talks move forward “for as long as it takes” and that his team is coordinating closely with the incoming Trump administration “to make sure we’re all speaking with one voice.”

Qatar’s prime minister said Egypt, Qatar and the United States will monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

“With this agreement, I emphasize the importance of speeding up the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza in order to deal with the catastrophic humanitarian crisis without any hindrance until a sustainable peace is achieved through the two-state solution and for the region to enjoy stability, security and development in a world big enough for all,” Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said in a statement.

The UN stands ready to support the implementation of the agreement and “scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian assistance,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement on Wednesday.

During a year of war between Israel and Hamas, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza and nearly 110,000 injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. That number does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. However, more than 14,000 children and 8,000 women have been killed, according to the Ministry of Health.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they have killed more than 15,000 combatants during the war, which was triggered by the unprecedented Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023 in southern Israel. More than 1,200 people were killed and another 253 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.

During a week-long ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in late November 2023, Hamas freed more than 100 people. In return, Israel released more than 200 Palestinians from Israeli prisons. Several hostages in Gaza have also been freed in the months since, while the bodies of others have been found.

Amid the renewed talks in early January, 94 abductees remained in Gaza, including 34 who have been confirmed dead, according to Israeli officials.

Hamas is currently advising Palestinians to remain vigilant until the official start of the agreement and to rely on official sources for information on the timing of the ceasefire.

After news of a ceasefire and hostage deal reached on Wednesday, people could be seen celebrating across Gaza and Israel.

Biden said the agreement followed “many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar.”

“This agreement will end the fighting in Gaza, increase much-needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity,” Biden said in a statement.

“My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done,” he added.

Biden said he is determined to bring home seven American hostages, three of whom are alive. The Americans will be part of the first phase of the hostage release, with more details on who will be included in the first phase, he said.

President-elect Donald Trump also said Wednesday that a hostage deal has been reached, writing in a Truth Social post: “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE MIDDLE EAST HOSTAGES. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SOON. THANK YOU!”

Trump took credit for what he called an “EPIC” ceasefire deal, saying it “could only have happened as a result of our historic victory in November.” He said his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and US allies to “ensure that Gaza NEVER again becomes a safe haven for terrorists.”

The families of seven American hostages in Gaza said they are “deeply grateful” that an agreement has been reached to gradually release the hostages.

“The coming days and weeks will be as painful for our families as the terrible ordeal of all our loved ones,” the families said in a statement. “That’s why we’re asking all parties to remain committed to this agreement, every phase, until it’s fully implemented and everyone has been returned. We feel hopeful that under President Trump’s leadership, every last hostage will come home.”

A new round of ceasefire talks began on January 3 in Qatar. Delegations from both Israel and Hamas were sent to Doha to resume talks brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The Biden administration also helped broker the talks.

Foreign Minister Antony Blinken had previously told reporters that the US wanted a cease-fire agreement in Gaza and all remaining prisoners released before Trump takes office on January 20.

Blinken reported on January 6 “intensified engagement,” including by Hamas, to reach an agreement, though he added, “We have yet to agree on the final points.”

“We need Hamas to make the final necessary decisions to complete the deal and fundamentally change the circumstances for the hostages, to get them out, for the people of Gaza, to bring them relief and for the region as a whole, creating an opportunity to actually go on to something better, safer for everyone involved,” Blinken said at the time.

Speaking at the Atlantic Council on Tuesday, Blinken said Israel and Hamas were “on the brink” of reaching a six-week ceasefire deal that would see some hostages released from Gaza.

The agreement comes after a cease-fire agreement was reached between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024, weeks after Israel invaded southern Lebanon as part of an escalation of the conflict with Hezbollah.

It also follows the high-profile assassinations last year of Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar – with Sinwar being one of the key architects behind the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 – as well as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israel has taken responsibility for their deaths.