Hamas and Israeli officials, together with a source briefed on the negotiations, told NBC News on Wednesday that a ceasefire agreement had been reached to put an end to 15 months of fighting in Gaza.
The hard-won deal will also release Palestinian inmates in Israeli prisons and dozens of hostages held in Gaza, marking the first significant lull in conflict since a week-long truce ended on December 1, 2023.
The announcement comes after weeks of negotiations mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt amid a harsh winter for Gaza Strip residents and significant events throughout the Middle East that have hurt Israel’s adversary, Iran.
A deal between Israel and Hamas has not been formally declared. NBC News was informed earlier Wednesday by a diplomatic source in Washington that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was getting ready to meet with his security Cabinet, where it was anticipated that the agreement would be swiftly approved. He would next present the agreement to the entire Cabinet, which is also anticipated to provide its approval.
According to the source, a ceasefire could start as early as Friday because Israel’s Supreme Court would have 24 hours to allow an appeal. The source said that the first batch of hostages would be released on Sunday.