U.S. official: An Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal has been reached

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Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal, a senior U.S. official told local media on Wednesday evening.

An Israeli source told the country’s Channel 12 News broadcaster that the Palestinian terrorist organization said “yes” to the terms in writing.

Qatar’s Al Jazeera reported that a Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya handed the approval to mediators in Doha and Cairo.

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Hamas issued an official statement saying it “acted with responsibility and a positive attitude” in its response to the latest proposals in Doha.

According to Reuters, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Al Thani scheduled a press conference for Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, preparations were reportedly being made in Jerusalem to convene the Security Cabinet, which is made up of senior ministers, and the full government to approve the ceasefire agreement on Thursday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said in a statement shared by his office that he was cutting short his diplomatic visit to Europe and would return to Jerusalem on Wednesday night “to participate in the expected discussions and votes in the Security Cabinet and government.”

The Wall Street Journal said mediators ironed out the terms on Tuesday night but were stuck waiting for Hamas’s approval. Citing Arab sources, the newspaper reported that Mohammed Sinwar, the de facto leader of Hamas in Gaza, gave his “in principle” approval to the terms of the deal.

Sinwar’s agreement reportedly came mere hours after Hamas publicly announced for the first time that negotiations were in its “final stages.”

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