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Middle East live updates: Biden confirms ceasefire deal reached

Hamas and Israel have reportedly agreed to a hostage deal.

ByDavid Brennan and Nadine El-Bawab
Last Updated: January 15, 2025, 5:37 PM EST

A ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Hamas, with the Qatari prime minister announcing the deal Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the November ceasefire in Lebanon is holding despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets, which Israeli officials say are responses to ceasefire violations by the Iranian-backed militant group. Israeli forces also remain active inside the Syrian border region as victorious rebels there build a transitional government.

Tensions remain high between Israel and Iran after tit-for-tat long-range strikes in recent months and threats of further military action from both sides. The IDF and the Yemeni Houthis also continue to exchange attacks.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
3 hours and 41 minutes ago

Biden announces ceasefire deal

President Joe Biden released a statement saying Hamas and Israel had agreed to a deal, "after many months of intensive diplomacy," by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

"I laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council," Biden said in the statement. "It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran — but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done."

Family members of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and their supporters react to ceasefire reports during a protest calling for a ceasefire and for the release of the hostages, outside the Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, Jan. 15, 2025.
Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Biden also highlighted the three living American hostages who are still being held, and the four remains of American hostages yet to be returned.

3 hours and 46 minutes ago

What comes next in ceasefire process?

While a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Hamas and Israeli negotiators, the Israeli government still needs to approve the deal.

The deal is expected to be approved, but it will take several votes.

Click here to read more about the next steps.

1:01 PM EST

Netanyahu says Philadelphi snag was resolved

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said in a statement that the snag about control of the Philadelphia axis -- the strip of land between Gaza and Egypt -- has been worked out.

However, his office said they are still working out several unresolved issues.

"In light of Prime Minister Netanyahu's firm stance, Hamas has backed down on its demand at the last minute to change the deployment of forces on the Philadelphia axis," the prime minister's office said in a statement. "However, there are still several unresolved clauses in the outline, and we hope that the details will be finalized tonight."

Supporters of Israeli hostages, who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, attend a protest to demand a deal to bring every hostage home at once, amid Gaza ceasefire negotiations, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Jan. 15, 2025.
Ronen Zvulun/Reuters

12:52 PM EST

Trump celebrates ceasefire, takes credit for deal

President-elect Donald Trump immediately posted on Truth Social about the agreement on the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.

He wrote, in all caps, "WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!"

Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, take part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, Jan. 15, 2025.
Ohad Zwigenberg/AP

He then also followed that up with a post taking credit for the deal, though the Biden administration has also been involved in the negotiations.

"This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies," Trump wrote.

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