Mediators delivered a final draft of a ceasefire agreement to Israel and Hamas on Monday following a late-night breakthrough in negotiations held in Doha, Qatar. The proposed deal aims to end hostilities, secure the release of hostages, and increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized the agreement’s potential impact in a speech highlighting his foreign policy achievements. “The deal would free the hostages, halt the fighting, provide security to Israel, and allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians who suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started,” Biden said.
If successful, the deal would conclude over a year of intermittent negotiations and result in the largest release of Israeli hostages since the conflict’s onset. Early in the war, Hamas freed half of its captives in exchange for 240 Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan expressed optimism about the agreement, stating, “The parties are right on the cusp of being able to close this deal.”
