Israel and Hamas agree on ceasefire and release of hostages

The deal was first announced by US President-elect Donald Trump, his words confirmed by Israeli and Arab media. According to them,

Hamas pledges to release 33 Israeli hostages, including children and IDF soldiers. In exchange, Israel must release several hundred Palestinian prisoners sentenced to up to life in prison.

The deal also includes a six-week ceasefire and a phased withdrawal of IDF troops from the Gaza Strip. However, it does not determine who will now manage the enclave, the media note.

According to a BBC source, an agreement was reached at meetings between the Qatari Prime Minister and representatives of Hamas and separately with representatives of Israel. Qatar acts as one of the mediators in the negotiations between the parties. The Qatari Foreign Ministry has just announced that a deal has been reached and implementation will begin on Sunday.

But the Israeli authorities and the Hamas leadership have not yet officially confirmed the conclusion of the deal. Benjamin Netanyahu's office said that the agreement "still has several unresolved points that need to be resolved."

The media believe that statements will be made this evening or tomorrow morning. AP at the same time writes that the Hamas Politburo did not agree to some of the terms of the deal, so it has not yet been concluded.

The Israeli army announced that it was launching Operation Wings of Freedom to return the freed hostages home.

The media are publishing footage from the Gaza Strip in which local residents greet the news of the deal with jubilation.

• The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, with militants entering Israeli territory and taking hostages. In response, Israel began launching massive airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, and on the evening of October 27, large forces entered the northern part of the enclave.

• The war killed 1,200 people, and more than 240 were taken hostage by Hamas militants. There are currently 100 people held hostage. Some of them were declared dead in absentia by Israeli authorities.