The United States and Qatar announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, pausing the devastating 15-month war in Gaza and clearing the way for dozens of Israeli hostages to go home.

Joint mediators the United States, Qatar and Egypt will monitor the Gaza ceasefire starting on Sunday via a body based in Cairo, Qatar's prime minister said on Wednesday.

The Biden administration is putting pressure on a deal before the inauguration, which will see President-elect Donald Trump return to the White House.

Demonstrators in Tel Aviv calling for the release of the hostages embraced as news of the agreement spread, while thousands across Gaza celebrated the reported deal. During the initial 42-day ceasefire,

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Thursday declined to comment on a report by Bloomberg about limited talks between Russia and Ukraine in Qatar on protecting nuclear facilities from attacks.

ISTANBUL: Qatar, Egypt, and the United States (US) vowed Wednesday (Jan 15) to guarantee the implementation of a Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which is expected to come into effect on Jan 19,

Qatar is planning to help finance a massive boost in public sector wages promised by Syria's new government, a U.S. official and a senior diplomat said, vital assistance to the new Islamist rulers in Damascus a month after they toppled Bashar al-Assad.

Qatar's prime minister announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed Wednesday to a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza, adding he hoped the deal would pave the way for a permanent end to the fighting.

All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door talks. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent the past year trying to mediate an end to the 15-month war and secure the release of dozens of hostages captured in Hamas ...

JERUSALEM - A ceasefire in the Gaza war will begin at 8.30am (2.30pm Singapore time) on Jan 19, mediator Qatar has said after Israel’s Cabinet voted to approve the ceasefire and hostage-prisoner release deal.

It wasn't immediately clear on Saturday when David Barnea would travel to Qatar’s capital for the latest round of indirect talks.