Hope for hostage release as negotiators make breakthrough in Gaza ceasefire talks

Men carry the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, on January 13, 2025 [Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters]
Negotiators are set to meet in Doha on Tuesday to finalize a plan to end the Gaza war after U.S. President Joe Biden announced that a ceasefire and hostage release deal he championed was “on the brink” of realization.
According to an official briefed on the talks, mediators presented a final draft agreement to Israel and Hamas on Monday following a “breakthrough” in late-night discussions attended by envoys of outgoing U.S. President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump.
“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 stated during a Monday speech outlining his foreign policy achievements.
If confirmed, the agreement would mark the most significant release of Israeli hostages since the conflict began. Hamas had previously freed half its prisoners in exchange for 240 Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
Negotiations are reportedly in advanced stages, with Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar affirming progress and thanking American mediators for their efforts. “There is progress, it looks much better than previously,” Saar said.
Israel‘s military operations in Gaza began after an October 2023 Hamas attack, which killed 1,200 Israelis and captured more than 250 hostages. Since then, over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, according to health officials, and much of Gaza has been devastated.