Israel and Hamas have struck a cease-fire deal that'll free hostages

• Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire in a deal meant to halt 15 months of fighting.
• A US lawmaker, citing the Biden administration. confirmed on Wednesday that there is an agreement in place.
• Hamas and other militant groups kidnapped over 250 people in Israel on October 7, 2023.

After more than 15 months of horrific fighting and tens of thousands dead, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire deal, a top US lawmaker said on Wednesday, citing the Biden administration.

The deal is meant to halt the bloodshed and facilitate the release of some of the remaining hostages.

“I have just been informed by the administration that a deal has been agreed to,” New York Sen. Chuck Schumer told lawmakers at the Capitol. “It is welcome news that there is an agreement that will free many of the hostages.”

On October 7, 2023, as part of a Hamas-led terror attack against Israel, Hamas and other militants kidnapped 251 people from Israel. Around 1,200 were killed across the country.

Hamas and its allies still hold 98 hostages, an Israeli government spokesperson said on Tuesday, though at least 34 of them are thought to have died in captivity.

The first stage of the agreement, which has yet to be officially announced, is expected to include 33 hostages — most of whom are alive — released on "humanitarian" grounds, the spokesperson told reporters at a briefing. This will consist of women, children, the elderly, and hostages who are sick.

When asked how many jailed Palestinians Israel is willing to release in exchange, the spokesperson said that the country "is prepared to pay a heavy price, in the hundreds."

The Israeli government has not yet publicly confirmed the deal. Hamas is said to have approved the agreement.

To date, 117 hostages have been returned alive to Israel, including 105 freed as part of a prisoner exchange in November 2023.

The cease-fire deal intends to put a halt to the ongoing conflict, which has seen large areas of Gaza destroyed. The Hamas-run health ministry says Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 people.

Negotiations for a cease-fire deal have been ongoing for many months, but news that Israel and Hamas were close to reaching an agreement emerged earlier this week, hinting that, at last, there could be movement.

The deal comes in the final days of the Biden administration.

President-elect Donald Trump said his victory in November directly contributed to the deal coming to fruition. "We have achieved so much without even being in the White House," he wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

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