Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire and hostage release agreement after negotiations facilitated by Qatar's prime minister.
However, the Israeli prime minister's office said there were still “several unresolved clauses,” although it expressed hope that the deal would be finalized by Wednesday night.
A Hamas official confirmed to the BBC the group's approval of a draft proposal from mediators in Doha.
US President-elect Donald Trump announced on social media: “We have a deal for hostages in the Middle East.”
The deal reportedly comprises a three-phase plan. In the initial six weeks of the ceasefire, 33 hostages held by Hamas are expected to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners currently in Israeli custody.
Negotiations for the second phase will begin two weeks later and will focus on the release of the remaining hostages, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the establishment of “sustainable calm.” The third and final phase will address the reconstruction of Gaza, which is expected to take years, and the return of the bodies of the remaining hostages.
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Once Qatar or the United States formally announce the deal, they will have to overcome several procedural hurdles. The Israeli cabinet will vote on the deal, possibly as early as Thursday, and its approval is expected despite opposition from the far-right national security minister.
After this, the Israeli government will publish the names of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released, giving the victims' families a 48-hour period to appeal.
This development follows an intense Israeli military campaign against Hamas, launched in response to the group's October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the taking of 251 hostages.
Since then, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports more than 46,700 deaths, widespread displacement and severe shortages of essential items among the enclave's 2.3 million residents.
Israel maintains that Hamas still holds 94 hostages, 34 of whom are presumed dead. In addition, four Israelis kidnapped before the war remain missing and two of them are believed to have died.
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