Israel and Hamas have agreed a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal following meetings with Qatar’s prime minister, a source briefed on the talks has told the BBC.
There was no confirmation from the Israeli government or Hamas, but a Hamas official earlier told the BBC it had approved a draft from Qatari, US and Egyptian mediators.
US President-elect Donald Trump, whose envoy was involved in the talks, also wrote on social media: “We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East.”
The details of the three-phase plan have not been published, but reports say 33 of the hostages held by Hamas will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails during the first six weeks of the ceasefire.
Negotiations for the second phase – which should see the remaining hostages released, a full Israeli troop withdrawal and a “sustainable calm” – would start after two weeks.
The third and final stage would involve the reconstruction of Gaza – something which could take years – and the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies.
The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 46,700 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Most of the 2.3 million population has also been displaced, there is widespread destruction, and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter due to a struggle to get aid to those in need.
Israel says 94 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas, of whom 34 are presumed dead. In addition, there are four Israelis who were abducted before the war, two of whom are dead.
