A ceasefire agreement has been reached, a Hamas official has told Sky News, after more than a year of fighting in Gaza.
If confirmed, the agreement would be a huge breakthrough in a war that has left tens of thousands of people dead and many more injured and displaced from their homes.
The deal outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase that includes a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of Palestinians to north Gaza, the Reuters news agency reported, citing an official briefed on the agreement.
Hamas will release 33 hostages, including all women, children and men over the age of 50, the agency said. In return, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
There were reports of Palestinians celebrating Khan Younis in Gaza as news of the possible ceasefire deal broke.
Donald Trump, who will once again be president of the US in a few days, said: “We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly.”
It comes after President Joe Biden – in the final days of his presidency – said a deal was “on the brink”.
Implementation of the agreement will be agreed by Qatar, Egypt and the US.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said he was determined to destroy Hamas after the Palestinian militant group killed 1,200 people and seized about 250 hostages when they entered Israel from Gaza on 7 October 2023.
More than 45,000 Palestinians have been killed in the subsequent Israeli offensive in Gaza, the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry says.
The Gaza health ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its casualty count but said that more than half of the fatalities are women and children.