Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal designed to end the war in Gaza, sources have confirmed.
A Hamas official has said the group's leader Khalil Al Hayya has delivered approval of the ceasefire agreement to mediators in Qatar.
The reports in Israeli media said Hamas had issued fresh demands about the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategically important strip of land along Gaza's southern border with Egypt.
An official briefed on the negotiations has told reporters the deal includes a six-week initial ceasefire phase, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of hostages held by Hamas and the release of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
Implementation of the ceasefire deal will be guaranteed by Qatar, Egypt and the US. A senior government official has said the Israeli government will vote on the deal tomorrow, Thursday. -
As part of the deal, negotiations over second phase of agreement are set to begin by 16th day of phase one and expected to include release of all remaining hostages, including Israeli male soldiers, permanent ceasefire and complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza.
Hamas will release all remaining hostages over six-week period with three hostages released every week and remainder before end of the period.
The third phase is expected to include return of all remaining dead bodies and the start of Gaza reconstruction, supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the UN.
President-elect Donald Trump, who returns to the White House next week, said: "We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly." The President-elect added that he will work with Israel and US allies to make sure Gaza never "comes a terrorist safe haven."
Celebrations have broken out in the southern city of Khan Younis in Gaza, with people cheering and clapping in the street, while others honked their car horns.
Israeli troops invaded Gaza after terrorists from Hamas broke through security barriers into Israeli communities on October 7 2023, with 1,200 soldiers and civilians killed and more than 250 people abducted.
In response, Isreali forces killed more than 46,000 people, according to the enclave's health ministry, and left hundreds and thousands living in makeshift shelters.
Deputy leader of Reform UK Richard Tice told GB News: "We welcome the deal if it guarantees freedom of the hostages and stops the killings."
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: "The announcement of a ceasefire is, at last, a moment of hope after many months of darkness and despair for the region.
"As this ceasefire comes into effect, Palestinians will hope that the killing will now stop. Israeli hostages will finally be returned to their loved ones again after being held in captivity for fifteen months. The work of flooding Gaza with the aid which it has desperately needed for months must begin in earnest.
"Now, it is incumbent on the UK and the entire international community to do all it can to ensure that this ceasefire does not turn out to be a temporary truce. Otherwise we will not be able to get the remaining hostages home and finally alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."
Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said on X: "Breathing a sigh of relief that after 15 months of bloodshed, there will finally be a ceasefire in Gaza. My thoughts are with all of those who lost loved ones in this horrific violence, and those who will continue to suffer as a result of the destruction of hospitals, schools and land needed for food.
The MP for Bristol Central continued: "Today, we mark an end to the fighting, and the return home of the Israeli hostages and of hundreds of detained Palestinians. Tomorrow, the work begins to rebuild infrastructure, communities and lives, and to pursue justice.
"The genocidal horror that we have witnessed in Gaza must never be allowed to happen again. Leaders across the world must now push for an end to the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory, and for all those responsible for war crimes to be held to account."
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A Hamas official has said the group's leader Khalil Al Hayya has delivered approval of the ceasefire agreement to mediators in Qatar.
The reports in Israeli media said Hamas had issued fresh demands about the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategically important strip of land along Gaza's southern border with Egypt.
An official briefed on the negotiations has told reporters the deal includes a six-week initial ceasefire phase, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of hostages held by Hamas and the release of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
Implementation of the ceasefire deal will be guaranteed by Qatar, Egypt and the US. A senior government official has said the Israeli government will vote on the deal tomorrow, Thursday. -
As part of the deal, negotiations over second phase of agreement are set to begin by 16th day of phase one and expected to include release of all remaining hostages, including Israeli male soldiers, permanent ceasefire and complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza.
Hamas will release all remaining hostages over six-week period with three hostages released every week and remainder before end of the period.
The third phase is expected to include return of all remaining dead bodies and the start of Gaza reconstruction, supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the UN.
President-elect Donald Trump, who returns to the White House next week, said: "We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly." The President-elect added that he will work with Israel and US allies to make sure Gaza never "comes a terrorist safe haven."
Celebrations have broken out in the southern city of Khan Younis in Gaza, with people cheering and clapping in the street, while others honked their car horns.
Israeli troops invaded Gaza after terrorists from Hamas broke through security barriers into Israeli communities on October 7 2023, with 1,200 soldiers and civilians killed and more than 250 people abducted.
In response, Isreali forces killed more than 46,000 people, according to the enclave's health ministry, and left hundreds and thousands living in makeshift shelters.
Deputy leader of Reform UK Richard Tice told GB News: "We welcome the deal if it guarantees freedom of the hostages and stops the killings."
Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: "The announcement of a ceasefire is, at last, a moment of hope after many months of darkness and despair for the region.
"As this ceasefire comes into effect, Palestinians will hope that the killing will now stop. Israeli hostages will finally be returned to their loved ones again after being held in captivity for fifteen months. The work of flooding Gaza with the aid which it has desperately needed for months must begin in earnest.
"Now, it is incumbent on the UK and the entire international community to do all it can to ensure that this ceasefire does not turn out to be a temporary truce. Otherwise we will not be able to get the remaining hostages home and finally alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."
Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said on X: "Breathing a sigh of relief that after 15 months of bloodshed, there will finally be a ceasefire in Gaza. My thoughts are with all of those who lost loved ones in this horrific violence, and those who will continue to suffer as a result of the destruction of hospitals, schools and land needed for food.
The MP for Bristol Central continued: "Today, we mark an end to the fighting, and the return home of the Israeli hostages and of hundreds of detained Palestinians. Tomorrow, the work begins to rebuild infrastructure, communities and lives, and to pursue justice.
"The genocidal horror that we have witnessed in Gaza must never be allowed to happen again. Leaders across the world must now push for an end to the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory, and for all those responsible for war crimes to be held to account."
Find Out More...