Gaza ceasefire deal including release of hostages in final stages of negotiation, Joe Biden says

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that a Gaza ceasefire deal involving the release of Israeli hostages is close to being reached as negotiations enter their final stages. Palestinians and families of hostages who have died in captivity have been pleading with the Israeli government and world leaders to reach a ceasefire agreement.

A knowledgeable official revealed that mediators submitted a final draft agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war to Israel and Hamas on Monday. This followed midnight negotiations attended by envoys of both U.S. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, which resulted in a "breakthrough." Hamas expressed its eagerness to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza in a statement on Monday.

Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, told reporters that negotiations are at a "critical" moment, with the likelihood of a deal being reached increasing. "I think we are close to a deal... both sides are on the verge of reaching an agreement," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in an interview with MSNBC, stated that the two sides are "closer than ever" to reaching an agreement, and now the ball is in Hamas's court. "We are very hopeful that we can finally get this done, after so much time," he said, adding that the proposed agreement is based on the framework Biden proposed in May.

According to a knowledgeable official who wished to remain anonymous, Qatar presented a text for a ceasefire and hostage release during negotiations in Doha, which were also attended by the heads of the Israeli Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agencies, as well as the Qatari Prime Minister. The official stated that another round of talks is planned for Tuesday morning in Doha to finalize the remaining details, with Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Biden's envoy, Brett McGurk, expected to be present, as they were on Monday. An Israeli official indicated that negotiations are at an advanced stage, aiming to release up to 33 hostages under the agreement.

Blinken stated that negotiators want to ensure Trump continues to support the agreement. According to U.S. officials, U.S. President Joe Biden has notified Congress of an $8 billion (AUD 13 billion) weapons sale to Israel. Neither Israel, Hamas, nor the Qatari Foreign Ministry have responded to requests for comment or confirmation. While officials from both sides have not confirmed that a final draft has been reached, they have reported progress. "Progress has been made in negotiations on some core issues, and we are working to complete the remaining work as soon as possible," a Hamas official told Reuters, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told reporters that negotiations are being coordinated between the Biden and Trump teams, adding: "Progress has been made, and the situation looks much better than before. I want to thank our American friends for their tremendous efforts to secure a hostage deal."

Negotiations led by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to end the war in Gaza have been ongoing for over a year. In Cairo, an Egyptian security official told Reuters that the draft sent to the warring parties is not a final agreement but rather "aimed at resolving outstanding issues that hindered previous negotiations." Sullivan indicated that the U.S. President will soon speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi about the negotiations. Israel's Channel 12 reported that Israeli government agencies have been told to prepare for the reception of frail hostages. The warring parties have broadly agreed for months on the principle of a cessation of fighting in exchange for Hamas releasing hostages and Israel releasing Palestinian detainees.

However, Hamas has insisted that the agreement must lead to a permanent end to the war and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel has stated that it will not end the war until Hamas is destroyed. Trump's inauguration on January 20 is now widely seen as a de facto deadline. The President-elect has stated that unless the hostages held by Hamas are released before he takes office, there will be a "price to pay," while Biden has also been working to secure a deal before he leaves office. Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Hamas militants stormed across its border in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. According to Palestinian health officials, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, with much of the area flattened and most of the population displaced.