The post US official says Biden prioritized Israel’s ‘defanging’ of Hezbollah to push Hamas toward deal appeared first on The Times of Israel.

Last week’s spontaneous displays of joy on the streets of Gaza and Israel show how much this ceasefire deal means to both peoples, yet there have been many false dawns that promised peace between Palestinians and the state of Israel.

President Joe Biden and his top diplomats, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had sought closure during his term.

The first stage of the deal would see 33 hostages set free, including children and women. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Qatar’s prime minister said the deal would go into effect on Sunday. Israel said final details still need ironing out.

A top level Israeli security delegation arrived in Qatar on Sunday for talks on a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, in a possible sign of so-far elusive agreements nearing.

Months of tedious talks over a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza – negotiations that required officials from an outgoing and incoming presidential administration to put aside their fundamental differences – culminated in an intense late-night push for an agreement that finally came to fruition on Wednesday.

A ceasefire agreement in Gaza has been reached between Israel and Hamas after more than 15 months of war. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have mediated the long-running efforts to halt the fighting in the ravaged Palestinian territory, often coming close to a deal before a frustrating breakdown in negotiations.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar have mediated the long-running efforts to halt the fighting in the ravaged territory.

Mediators used framework outlined by outgoing US president and were empowered by Israel's weakening of Iranian axis, but needed assistance from US president-elect to close the deal The post On a deadline: How Biden and Trump brokered hostage deal before ‘all hell’ broke loose appeared first on The Times of Israel.

U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators shuttled between the Israeli and Hamas delegations in Doha on Tuesday, where officials said a deal to halt the war is near.