**Hostage Release Agreement Reached Amid Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations**

Negotiations between Israel, Hamas, the U.S., and Qatar culminate in a signed agreement, pending final approvals from Israeli governmental bodies.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed today that a "deal to release the hostages" has been successfully negotiated. Earlier, Netanyahu had postponed a cabinet vote scheduled for Thursday to approve a ceasefire agreement, citing concerns that Hamas was attempting to alter the terms at the last minute.

On Friday morning, Netanyahu's office revealed that the negotiating team informed him that a consensus had been reached. As a result, he has summoned the political-security cabinet to convene later in the day, intending for the government to ultimately approve the deal. Families of the hostages have also been notified of this development.

According to Israeli media reports, a formal agreement has been signed in Doha among representatives from Israel, Hamas, the United States, and Qatar. This ceasefire arrangement was initially announced on Wednesday by mediators from the U.S. and Qatar, with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani indicating that the deal would become effective on Sunday, contingent on Israeli cabinet authorization.

During earlier discussions, Netanyahu had expressed gratitude to President Biden for his role in facilitating the agreement. Despite the progress made, he subsequently postponed the cabinet vote, alleging that Hamas was attempting to "extort last-minute concessions."

While Hamas has stated its commitment to the agreement, reports indicate the group sought to include some of its members on the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released as part of the deal. Although negotiators from the Israeli side have consented to the agreement, it remains contingent upon ratification by the security cabinet and the broader government.