U.S., Qatari and Egyptian mediators shuttled between the Israeli and Hamas delegations in Doha on Tuesday, where officials said a deal to halt the war is near.

Officials say Hamas accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release of dozens of hostages

The Israeli government and Hamas say that they are in the final stages of indirect talks over a deal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

After more than a year of talks, both sides say they are close to a deal that could halt Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and return Israeli hostages home.

If the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal goes according to the current draft, then fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days, and dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed.

Cairo, Doha, and Washington mediated a week-long truce between Israel and Hamas in late November 2023, including a swap between Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages and more humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza. Yet, later mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement have been fruitless.

A deal could be announced as soon as Tuesday, Arab and Israeli officials said, raising hopes that some of the hostages held in Gaza will be released.

Israel-Gaza border as fighting continues amid ceasefire talks Watch live as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is as “close as it has ever been”, according to Qatari negotiators who have been hosting talks.