A Gaza ceasefire agreement has been reached, Qatar has confirmed - as President Joe Biden announced the imminent release of US and Israeli hostages.

The two were exchanged for a man arrested in eastern Afghanistan two decades ago who has been serving a life sentence in a California prison.

In these final actions of his presidency, Biden is asserting his domestic and foreign-policy principles before Trump takes charge.

A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, involving a halt of the fighting and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Following the announcement, both US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump claimed credit for the Gaza ceasefire.

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that a Gaza ceasefire deal 'has been reached' between Israel and Hamas.

The ceasefire deal marks a major win for President Joe Biden in his final days in office, but President-elect Donald Trump is also seeking credit.

Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip whilst Israel insists details are still being finalised

As news broke that the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas had finally been reached after seven months of high-stakes negotiations in Qatar, President Joe Biden was preparing to make his farewell address to the American people from the Oval Office. President-elect Donald Trump was getting ready to redecorate the room.

A prisoner swap between the United States and Afghanistan’s Taliban freed two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges

Qatar’s success in helping to broker the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire has enhanced its reputation as an international mediator, with officials now considering which other conflicts they could help resolve.

Fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, control the crowd while Red Cross vehicles come to collect Israeli hostages to be released under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abed Hajjar, File)

Qatar might be a small country in the gulf region but they have played a critical role in negotiating on high stakes issues the last few years. […]