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Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to end the war in Gaza and free remaining hostages, raising hopes of an end to the bloodiest fighting in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The multi-phase deal comes days before Donald Trump takes office as US president. Trump’s warning that “there will be hell to pay” if the hostages are not freed before his inauguration on Monday has injected new impetus into the long-stalled talks.
“WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT FOR HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY,” Trump posted Wednesday on his Truth Social platform.
He added that his national security team would “continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to ensure that Gaza NEVER becomes a haven for terrorists again.”
A person close to the negotiations in Doha said a deal was reached after Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the Qatari prime minister, met separately with negotiators from Hamas and Israel in a last-ditch bid for peace. ‘an agreement.
Previous attempts to broker a deal to end the 15-month conflict and secure the release of the 98 Israeli hostages still in Gaza – not all of whom are alive – repeatedly failed when Israel and the Palestinian militant group refused to make the necessary concessions.
The Israeli government is due to vote on the deal, which is based on a three-phase proposal presented last year by US President Joe Biden. Far-right ministers, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have expressed opposition, but are unlikely to be able to block the deal.
The first phase will involve a 42-day truce, during which 33 Israeli hostages – including children, all female prisoners, the sick and the elderly – will be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons and an increase spectacular humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza.
The two sides will begin negotiating the second phase no later than the 16th day of the truce. During this phase, the remaining hostages, including male soldiers, are expected to be released in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners.
The second phase is also supposed to lead to a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
The final phase would involve the return of all the bodies of the dead hostages and the reconstruction of Gaza, under the supervision of Egypt, Qatar and the UN.
Abu Shukri, a community organizer housed in Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp, said neighborhood residents lined the streets and balconies in anticipation of the announcement. As soon as the news reached them, people shouted and fired into the air in celebration.
“We just thank God,” Abu Shukri said of the news. “But we gave to our children, we gave to our parents.”
The October 7 Hamas attack, which killed more Jews than any other attack since the Holocaust, and Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza sparked a year-long wave of hostilities that changed the dynamics of the Middle East.
Palestinian militants killed 1,200 people in their attack on Israel, according to Israeli officials, and took another 250 hostage.
The Israeli offensive has killed more than 46,000 people, Palestinian officials say, reduced much of Gaza to rubble and fueled a humanitarian catastrophe.
As Iranian-backed militants, including the Lebanese militant movement Hezbollah, began firing on Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians, Israel went to war on several fronts. For the first time, they exchanged direct missile strikes with Iran, invaded southern Lebanon, and launched bombing raids on Syria and Yemen.
Additional reporting by Malaika Tapper in Beirut
