WASHINGTON – More than 15 months after Israel's devastating war with Hamas began in the Gaza Strip, the two sides have agreed to a ceasefire deal that includes a cessation of fighting and the release of some Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, U.S. officials said on Wednesday communicated.
Negotiators from the United States, Qatar and Egypt held extensive rounds of talks with Israeli and Hamas leaders for months to negotiate what would lead to a partial end to a conflict that Palestinian officials estimate has killed 46,000 Palestinians, about half of them women and children.
The war — which destabilized the Middle East and sparked protests across the U.S. — began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, invaded southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and killing about 250 others kidnapped.
Israel immediately launched a relentless barrage of airstrikes and ground operations that destroyed most of the coastal enclave's homes, buildings, hospitals and infrastructure and pushed many survivors to the brink of starvation.
As part of the agreement, the parties agree to an initial six-week halt to fighting. About a third of the 100 hostages remaining in Gaza – others have been released, rescued or killed – would be freed, while large numbers, possibly up to 1,000, Palestinians held by Israel would be freed.
Israel believes many of the hostages still in Gaza custody are already dead; Those who would be released would be divided into the elderly, children and infirm categories. Soldiers would not be released yet.
President Biden proposed the ceasefire framework months ago. It was delayed by both sides. Hamas would accept nothing other than a complete end to the Israeli occupation and attacks on Gaza. Israel has refused to withdraw from the area until it believes Hamas has been destroyed.
President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration next week may have increased the pressure. He has publicly stated that he wants hostages to be released before taking office and has signaled that he will not hold Israel back.
What was unusual was that Trump's Middle East advisory team joined Biden's people at the final negotiations in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to push the deal forward, US officials said.
The deal still faces obstacles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet must approve it, and given the recalcitrant members of that group, approval is not guaranteed.
Biden has also insisted on a “day-after” plan for Gaza that would include a permanent end to the war and a path forward to an independent Palestinian state. However, Trump does not support Palestinian sovereignty.