
Listen To Story Above
According to officials involved in the negotiations, Hamas has agreed to a draft proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages. Mediators from the United States and Qatar have stated that Israel and the Palestinian militant group are closer than ever before to finalizing a deal that would bring them one step nearer to ending 15 months of conflict.
The Associated Press has obtained a copy of the proposed agreement, and an Egyptian official and a Hamas official have confirmed its authenticity. While an Israeli official acknowledged that progress has been made, the details are still being finalized. All three officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing talks.
BREAKING: Senator Tom Cotton asks Pete Hegseth "Do you support Israel's war in Gaza?"
Pete Hegseth: "I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas." pic.twitter.com/RKSrxVtU5z
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) January 14, 2025
“I believe we will get a ceasefire,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a speech on Tuesday, asserting that the decision rests with Hamas. “It’s right on the brink. It’s closer than it’s ever been before,” and an announcement could come within hours or days.
For the past year, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have been trying to mediate an end to the war and secure the release of dozens of hostages captured during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict. Nearly 100 people are still being held captive inside Gaza, and the military believes that at least a third of them are dead.
Any deal is expected to pause the fighting and bring hopes for winding down the deadliest and most destructive war that Israel and Hamas have ever fought, a conflict that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.
It would provide relief to the hard-hit Gaza Strip, where Israel’s offensive has reduced large areas to rubble and displaced around 90% of the population of 2.3 million, with many at risk of famine.
If a deal is reached, it would not go into effect immediately. The plan would need approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Security Cabinet and then his full Cabinet. Both bodies are dominated by Netanyahu’s allies and are likely to approve any proposal he presents.
Officials have previously expressed optimism, only for negotiations to stall while the warring sides blamed each other. However, they now suggest that they can conclude an agreement ahead of the January 20 inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose Middle East envoy has joined the negotiations.
Hamas said in a statement that negotiations had reached their “final stage.”
“In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted another 250. Around half those hostages were freed during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Of those remaining, families say, two are children, 13 are women and 83 are men.”
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not specify how many of the dead were combatants.
🔥Flashback to 6 days ago🔥
Trump says if the hostages “are not back by the time I get into office, all hell is gonna break out”.
And what do you know, Israel and Hamas just agreed on a ceasefire and hostage deal.
Trump is already ending wars that the Biden regime fueled. pic.twitter.com/nVVQamkRAI
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) January 14, 2025
“Israeli strikes across Gaza overnight and into Tuesday killed at least 18 Palestinians, including two women and four children, according to local health officials, who said one woman was pregnant and the baby died as well.”
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel claims that it only targets militants and accuses them of hiding among civilians.
The three-phase agreement — based on a framework laid out by U.S. President Joe Biden and endorsed by the U.N. Security Council — would begin with the release of 33 hostages over a six-week period, including women, children, older adults, and wounded civilians, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children imprisoned by Israel.