Israel, Hamas Agree Deal for Gaza Truce, Hostage Release

Israel and Hamas have reached a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage release following meetings in Doha on Wednesday, a source briefed on the talks told AFP.

- Agencies

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A "Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal (was) reached following (the) Qatari PM's meeting with Hamas negotiators and separately Israeli negotiators in his office", said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the talks' sensitivity.

The agreement follows months of on-off negotiations brokered by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the backing of the United States, and came just ahead of the January 20 inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. Israeli troops invaded Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen broke through security barriers and burst into Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting more than 250 foreign and Israeli hostages.

More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.