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Buildings lie in ruin in North Gaza
Buildings lie in ruin in North Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from Israel, January 13, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen Image: Reuters/Amir Cohen
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Final draft of Gaza truce deal presented to sides after 'breakthrough', official says

22 Comments
By Andrew Mills and Nidal al-Mughrabi

Mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of a deal on Monday to end the war in Gaza, an official briefed on the negotiations said, after a midnight "breakthrough" in talks attended by envoys of both outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump.

Biden said a ceasefire and hostage release deal he had championed was on "the brink" of coming to fruition and Hamas said it was keen on reaching an agreement.

"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 said in a speech to highlight his foreign policy achievements.

The official briefed on the talks, who did not want to be otherwise identified, said the text for a ceasefire and release of hostages was presented by Qatar to both sides at talks in Doha, which included the chiefs of Israel's Mossad and Shin Bet spy agencies and Qatar's prime minister.

Another round of talks is planned in Doha on Tuesday morning to finalise remaining details, with Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Biden's envoy Brett McGurk expected to attend, as they had on Monday, the official said.

An Israeli official said negotiations were in advanced stages for the release of up to 33 hostages as part of the deal. The Hamas delegation in Doha issued a statement after a meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani saying talks were progressing well.

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters the negotiations were at a "pivotal" point, with gaps between two sides slowly getting removed. "I think there is a good chance we can close this ... the parties are right on the cusp of being able to close this deal," he said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the sides were "closer than we've ever been" to a deal, and the ball was in Hamas' court.

"We are very hopeful that we get it over the finish line, finally after all this time," he told MSNBC, adding that the proposed deal was based on a framework Biden put out in May.

Blinken said negotiators wanted to make sure Trump would continue to back the deal on the table so Witkoff's participation has been "critical."

Israel's Kan radio, citing an Israeli official, reported on Monday that the Israeli delegation had briefed Israel’s leaders. Israel, Hamas and the foreign ministry of Qatar did not respond to requests for confirmation or comment.

Officials on both sides, while stopping short of confirming that a final draft had been reached, reported progress.

"The negotiation over some core issues made progress and we are working to conclude what remains soon," a Hamas official told Reuters.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters: "There is progress, it looks much better than previously. I want to thank our American friends for the huge efforts they are investing to secure a hostage deal."

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have worked for more than a year on talks to end the war in Gaza.

In Cairo, an Egyptian security official told Reuters the draft sent to the two warring sides did not comprise the final agreement but "aims to resolve outstanding issues that had hindered previous negotiations".

Sullivan said Biden would soon speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about the negotiations.

Israel's Channel 12 said Israeli government institutions had been told to prepare for the intake of weak and sick hostages.

The warring sides have agreed for months broadly on the principle of halting the fighting in return for the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian detainees held by Israel. But Hamas has always insisted a deal must lead to a permanent end to the war and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel has said it will not end the war until Hamas is dismantled.

Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration is now widely seen as a de facto deadline. Trump has said there would be "hell to pay" unless hostages held by Hamas are freed before he takes office, while Biden has also pushed hard for a deal before he leaves.

The official who first disclosed the draft said talks went until the early hours of Monday, with Witkoff pushing the Israeli delegation in the Qatari capital Doha and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani pushing Hamas officials to finalise an agreement.

The head of Egypt's general intelligence agency Hassan Mahmoud Rashad was also in Doha as part of the talks. Rashad left Doha on Monday but a source familiar with the talks said an intelligence delegation stayed behind to play an active role.

Trump envoy Witkoff has travelled to Qatar and Israel several times since late November. He was in Doha on Friday and travelled to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday before returning to Doha.

Biden also spoke on Sunday by phone with Netanyahu, stressing "the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and return of the hostages with a surge in humanitarian aid enabled by a stoppage in the fighting under the deal," the White House said.

Israel launched its assault in Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed across its borders in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Since then, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, with much of the enclave laid to waste and most of its population displaced.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his Religious Zionism party, a hardline nationalist party which has opposed previous attempts at a deal, said all its members would oppose a deal that didn't achieve Hamas' "destruction" and the latest proposal endangered Israel's national security.

Bloodshed continued in Gaza on Monday. Residents reported a series of explosions in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip that targeted homes and roads. Palestinian health officials said at least 40 Palestinians were killed and dozens were wounded in Israeli military strikes in the Gaza Strip on Monday.

The Israeli military said five soldiers had been killed in fighting in northern Gaza, bringing to nine the number of its troops killed since Saturday.

© Thomson Reuters 2025.

©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.


22 Comments
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Just wait until occupier breach the cease fire at very last minute, again.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

Fingers crossed

Just wait until occupier breach the cease fire at very last minute, again.

Yes. That's what worries me too.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Just wait until occupier breach the cease fire at very last minute, again.

Cease fire where, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen? Israel's IDF are waging war in the entireMiddle East with the help of US administration, and their media narrative cannot be trusted. United States and the Europeans are supporting a genocide in Gaza, they know exactly what's going on here, and the hypocrisy is just quite stunning.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

Thank you Pres. to be Mr. TRUMP, and a special thanks to your envoy Mr. Steve Witkoff,

it took only one trip to Jerusalem, one Meeting with Bibi, One effort by the Trump team and the to get Fugitive to BOW and stop his Genocide.

Biden and his Secretary of state has been prolonging this war giving Bibi the time he needs to reoccupy Gaza but FAILED.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

it took only one trip to Jerusalem, one Meeting with Bibi, One effort by the Trump team and the to get Fugitive to BOW and stop his Genocide.

Oh. So it’s all over then?

Are you sure about that?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Israeli news channels are reporting that when Mr. Witkoff asked to meet Fugitive Bibi on Saturday the 11th, he was told " the PM do not work on a Saturday " for religious reasons, but then Mr. Witkoff told the office to tell Bibi that he will meet him before the day gets over, Bibi got a reality check and realized that this is NOT Blinkin he is dealing with and met with Mr. Witkoff on Saturday 11am were he was reminded of who the BOSS is and was told that Mr. Trump talk of "" HELL will break out "" includes Israel too, immediately Bibi orders the heads of MOSSAD and the head of Shin Bet to travel to Qatar to sign off on the ceasefire agreement.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

If there's no end to Israel's siege of Gaza or illegal occupation and land theft in the West Bank and East Jerusalem then the ceasefire is meaningless. A failure to address the root cause of the conflict will only create another Hamas and another Oct 7th. The cycle continues with no end in sight.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Trump told them what would happen if they didn’t finish this up before he gets in office. Seems they listening.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Trump told them what would happen if they didn’t finish this up before he gets in office. Seems they listening.

And to think you accuse other people of shoehorning references to the felon in chief into unrelated articles.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Ukraine NEXT PLEASE.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Not many War Mongers and Blood thirty anti Peace anti life are happy today, threatening to revolt or bring down the governments of Israel and the USA.

Long Live Peace Makers, Long Live Mr. Trump, Long Live Freedom, Down with wars and Occupation.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The word of Israelis is worthless as the historical record shows and, there was no word of who is going to pay for the rebuilding of Gaza and the restoration of people's homes. Under international law that would be the duty of the occupier, but the Israelis and their accomplices have shown their utter contempt for all laws and the humanitarian norms they profess to hold.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

And to think you accuse other people of shoehorning references to the felon in chief into unrelated articles.

ha? The article:

“in talks attended by envoys of both outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Nothing happened at all under Biden for 1.5 years. Zero.

Trump on the way and says better be released before I get there in 7 days and look at this:

“Hamas expected to release 33 hostages in first phase of emerging ceasefire deal, Israeli officials say”

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

It looks awfully like Netanyahu has just been keeping this going until Trump gets inaugurated.

What has actually changed for them to come to agreement right now, a week before Trump comes in to office?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Long Live Peace Makers

If Trump really did bring peace, true peace, not pretend peace where the US keeps stirring the pot all over the globe, it would be a wonderful thing.

I hope it happens

3 ( +3 / -0 )

allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians who suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started," Biden said "

What happened to the 230 million dollar Gaza pier that was supposed be a springboard for major humanitarian assistance Joe?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

It sank, after like one or two uses? even killed one of our military.

What has actually changed for them to come to agreement right now, a week before Trump comes in to office?

Trump telling Hamas how it’s gonna be. And them believing him.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

I dont think anymore can be done to Gaza or Hamas.

I am unsure how Trump could increase pressure.

Please God, just an end to the carnage.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I am unsure how Trump could increase pressure.

Might an end to Israeli aggression and the slaughter of civilians be brought about by Trump's ego craving to get a Nobel like Obama?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Reamer...if the whole world from the UN down cant end the Israel genocide, unsure how Trump, a staunch Israel supporter could change things.

Hamas has lost, Israel has "won " in the narrowly defined parameters of war.

Back to status quo I fear...Israel intransigence winning again.

Dont know what could change things.

I hope schools world wide teach what Israel has done as a lesson on what not to do as a state.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I think one phone call from Washington to Jerusalem (viz. Reagan to Begin) would suffice to bring the tail that wags the dog to leash. No need to ask favors for a deal from Netanyahu if he stands in the way of Trump's Nobel ambitions.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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