Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal to halt the ongoing conflict in Gaza, involving the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, according to an official briefed on the agreement. The deal, brokered by Egyptian and Qatari mediators with U.S. support, offers a potential end to a devastating 15-month war that has shaken the Middle East.
The agreement comes after months of intermittent negotiations and just days before the January 20 inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Trump had repeatedly urged swift action, warning of severe consequences if the hostages were not released. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, collaborated with President Joe Biden’s team to finalize the deal.
The conflict intensified after October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen breached Israeli security barriers and attacked communities, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting over 250 hostages, including Israelis and foreigners. In response, Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza that has resulted in over 46,000 deaths, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The enclave has been left in ruins, with hundreds of thousands enduring harsh winter conditions in makeshift shelters.
The deal’s announcement could ease public outrage in Israel directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government over the October 7 security breach—the deadliest single day in the country’s history. The return of hostages is seen as a critical step toward rebuilding public confidence.
Regionally, the conflict had escalated as Iran-backed militias in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen launched attacks against Israel in solidarity with Gaza. However, Israel gained a strategic edge by targeting and killing senior leaders of Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah in recent military operations.
This breakthrough could mark a turning point in one of the region’s most volatile conflicts.
Source: Reuters
