Israel, Hamas reach cease-fire, hostage deal: Sources - Details Trump's Response
Moments ago a hostage cease-fire agreement has been announced in the Middle East.
The agreement is built on three phases:
1. All in all, there is going to be 23 hostages that are alive who will be released. 10 hostage bodies will be brought home and laid to rest. There will be yound girls and humanitarian hostages in the first phase. With a pause for 43 days.
2. The White House stresses Jake Sullivan has been involved for months in these negotiations.
3. Israel will have to give up hundreds of Palestinian prisons in exchange for the hostages.
4. As the phases continue more hostages will be released up to a total of 33.
5. This is similar to the deals that have been on the table for months.
6. Israel has been very aggressive and brillant in the take down of Hamas, Lebanese and Iranian terrorists over the past months. The hostage returns will bring closure to the families that have had family members forcefully held for 466 days by hostile Hamas leaders. This has been a grave heart wrenching historical record broken by the current Biden administation. The American Iranian hostages were held for 444 days during the Carter administration -- not released until President Reagan's first day in office.
The cease-fire hostage deal key player was the Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani, at the center of the negotiations and was key to the final agreement. As we know, we are days away before President Trump assumes office and has said he will not stand for the hostages to remain in custody. This could have also added pressure to the agreement. President Trump has stated that there will be no more appeasement once he is sworn into office.