Israel, Hamas reach a hostage and ceasefire deal that could end 15 months of war in Gaza

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• Amna Nawaz:

  After nearly a year-and-a-half of brutal war in Gaza that widened across the region, a cease-fire and hostage deal was struck today between Israel and Hamas.

• Geoff Bennett:

  The deal between the warring sides was mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, and will start this weekend. The Biden administration had spent many months trying to force the parties toward a deal, but a final push in coordination with the incoming Trump team helped get to this agreement today.

  Nick Schifrin is here with more.

  So, Nick, how down to the wire was this?

• Nick Schifrin:

  Well, Geoff, a senior administration official says that the U.S. didn't know there would be a deal until just minutes before announcing it after Hamas tried this morning to insert new objections.

  But, tonight, after 15 months of one of the most intense aerial campaigns in history, the deadliest ever war on Israeli soil and the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians, there is cautious hope the cease-fire will hold.

  Tonight in Gaza, a celebration and in Israel relief that after 467 days of war, in just 72 hours, the guns over Gaza will go silent.

  Joe Biden, President of the United States: At long last, I can announce a cease-fire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas.

• Nick Schifrin:

  The three-phase deal begins with a six-week cease-fire. Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, beginning with five female soldiers on Sunday, and two Americans, Sagui Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel.

  Israel will release nearly 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including hundreds serving life sentences for terrorism, a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and Israeli soldiers will leave population centers but remain along Gaza's borders, including on the Philadelphi Corridor with Egypt, allowing Palestinians to return to their homes.

• Israeli President Isaac Herzog:

• Isaac Herzog, Israeli President (through translator):

  This is the right move. This is an important move. This is a necessary move. There is no greater moral, human, Jewish or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Senior U.S. officials believe the two sides agreed now because a diminished Hamas realized the cavalry wasn't coming. Israel's regional military success gave Netanyahu political flexibility and bipartisan coordination.

  A senior Biden administration official says National Security Council Middle East Director Brett McGurk and president-elect Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, created a — quote — "historic collaboration" and negotiated side by side, alongside mediator Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

  Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatari Prime Minister: The steps that's been taken recently from the U.S. has yielded to this moment.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Today, Trump took credit, posting — quote — "This epic cease-fire agreement could have only happened as a result of our historic victory in November."

• Joe Biden:

  I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure we're all speaking with the same voice, because that's what American presidents do.

• Nick Schifrin:

  If the cease-fire holds, the two sides would negotiate a second phase for a permanent cease-fire. Hamas would release all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers. And Israel would withdraw from Gaza completely.

  And if the two sides get that far, the third phase would return the remains of hostages killed in captivity and launch Gaza's long-term reconstruction, with foreign troops providing security, as laid out yesterday by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

  Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State: Given the costs, especially the human costs, we have a responsibility to ensure that the strategic gains of the last 15 months endure and lay the foundation for a better future.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Those costs began with the October 7 terrorist attack. Gunmen killed more than 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped more than 220 people, holding them in what former hostages call awful conditions.

  Today, more than 90 remain in Gaza. Officially, at least one-third are still alive. The war has transformed not only Gaza, but also the Middle East. A brutal fight in Lebanon that beheaded Hezbollah helped lead to a new government less beholden to Hezbollah, the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a chief Iranian ally, and an Israeli attack on Iran itself that destroyed much of its air defense and missile production.

• Joe Biden:

  We're handing off then to the next team a real opportunity for a better future for the Middle East. I hope they will take it.

• Nick Schifrin:

  And those caught in the middle hope this is an end to 15 months of suffering and agony.

  For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin.

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