Hamas Reportedly Approves Gaza's Ceasefire Including Israel's Hostage Release

JAKARTA - Hamas reportedly agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza including the return of hostages delivered by Qatari negotiators, an Israeli official said.

Hamas previously said negotiations on some of the core issues of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza had progressed.

"Negotiations on some core issues are progressing and we are trying to quickly resolve what is left," an official in the Palestinian group told Reuters on Friday, January 13.

The mediator handed over the final draft agreement to end the war in Gaza on Israel and Hamas.

The draft was handed over after a midnight breakthrough in negotiations attended by Israeli envoys including US President Joe Biden's envoy.

Officials familiar with the negotiations said a draft for the ceasefire and the release of hostages had been delivered by Qatar to both sides at talks in Doha, which was attended by Israel's chief spy agents Mossad and Shin Bet and Qatari's prime minister.

The official said Steve Witkoff, who will become US envoy when Trump returns to US president next week, attended the talks. Sources in the US said Biden's government envoy, Brett McGurk, was also there.