May 9, 2025 4:50 am
Full News

Gaza deal after 96 hours of tense talks: US official

Trump’s envoy Witkopf “pressured” Netanyahu to agree to a deal and then “everything moved fast

The long-awaited Gaza ceasefire agreement was reached in Doha after 96 hours of tense talks with the help of US, Egypt and Qatari mediators, a US official said.

A senior administration official in President Joe Biden’s administration credited Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for the Middle East. He said Witkoff’s presence was important in the negotiations to reach an agreement between Hamas and Israel.

Biden’s Middle East envoy Brett McGurk led the U.S. side in the talks. He had been staying in Doha since January 5 to perform this duty. And McGurk has played a close role in accomplishing what officials call a “very complex settlement.
Officials familiar with the negotiations said Trump’s momentary warnings drew major pressure toward the end of the negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Trump has repeatedly said the Middle East will pay a “heavy price” if Hamas does not release hostages before his inauguration on January 20.

Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas had been stalled for months, but gained momentum after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah in November.
The US official said the talks had reached a heated stage in the last 96 hours.

This became the main obstacle to the talks after Hamas refused to say how many hostages it held and which of them would be released in the first phase of the ceasefire.

Talks regained momentum when Hamas agreed to provide a list of hostages at the end of December, leading to an agreement to free the hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israel.

The partnership became “very effective” after Witkoff joined McGurk at the climax of the talks, the official said. With the help of the two of them, some aspects of the agreement were finally negotiated and it moved towards a decision.

Witkoff, a Trump confidante, traveled to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A person familiar with the deal told Reuters that Witkopf “pressured” Netanyahu to agree to a deal and then “everything moved fast”.

The U.S. official said McGurk and Egyptian and Qatari mediators were meeting with the Israeli team on the third floor of the talks site until 3 a.m. local time on Wednesday while Hamas representatives were downstairs.

The U.S. now expects the ceasefire agreement to go into effect on Sunday, he said.

Related News
Gaza Strip Will Forever Belong to the Palestinians: Erdoğan
Trump Pledges to End Daylight Saving Time, Calling It “Costly and Inconvenient”
Finland Tops the List of Happiest Countries, Bangladesh Slips in Ranking
Pakistan Launches its Own Surveillance Satellite
Tulsi Gabbard Became Head of US National Intelligence, Another Victory for Trump
‘Terrifier 4’ Teases Art the Clown’s Origin in Exciting New Update
Related Posts
Trump Appoints Jeanine Pirro as Interim U.S. Attorney for D.C.
U.S. Consulate in Lahore Orders Staff to Take Shelter Amid Security Threats
Journalist Attacked with Bricks by Miscreants in Bangladesh
Alert in Rajasthan and Punjab: Police Leave Cancelled, Missiles Ready
India Launches Overnight Drone Strikes Across Pakistan; 25 Drones Shot Down
Biggest Stock Market Crash in a Decade Hits Bangladesh
More News

Suspending Elon Musk’s Social Network X in the EU: A Complex Challenge

Suspending Elon Musk-owned social network X in the European Union could be more difficult than some politicians have suggested and, at worst, only temporary, experts told AFP. Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton recently suggested that it would be “possible” to suspend the platform across the 27-nation bloc, citing the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital […]

Brazil to Launch $125 Billion Fund for Tropical Forests at COP30

Brazil is set to unveil an ambitious $125 billion fund to protect tropical forests during the COP30 climate summit in November 2025. The initiative, named the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), aims to reward nations for preserving their forests by paying a fee for every hectare maintained. The fund, developed with the World Bank’s assistance, […]

Tony Todd, Star of ‘Candyman’ and ‘Final Destination,’ Dies at 69

Tony Todd, the actor best known for playing the scary ghost in the Candyman horror movies, passed away on Wednesday at his home in Marina Del Rey, California. He was 69 years old. His death was confirmed by a representative, but the cause was not revealed. Tony Todd was a well-known actor in horror and […]

2024: The Hottest Year on Record and the Growing Climate Crisis

As humanity ventures deeper into the 21st century, the specter of climate change looms larger than ever. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2024 is now “effectively certain” to be the hottest year on record, surpassing previous benchmarks of global warming. This announcement underscores the urgent need for decisive climate action as the world […]

Rohingya Refugees Pray for Release of ARSA Leader Amid Tensions in Bangladesh

Dozens of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh gathered on Wednesday to pray for the early release of Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi, the leader of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), who was arrested earlier this week near Dhaka. Jununi faces charges of murder, illegal entry, and involvement in militant activities. Ataullah is recognized for leading ARSA’s […]

The Atlantic Exposes Signal Chat Leak Detailing U.S. Attack Plans on Yemen

The Atlantic magazine has published the full details of a Signal group chat mistakenly shared with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg by top U.S. national security officials, revealing plans for an imminent attack on Yemen. The leak has sparked a major scandal for President Donald Trump’s administration, which has denied any wrongdoing and dismissed the story as […]

US Averts Shutdown as Senate Passes Budget Deal

The U.S. Senate passed a budget deal early Saturday, narrowly avoiding a federal government shutdown. The bill, approved 85-11, was passed just after the House’s endorsement and now awaits President Joe Biden’s signature. Without this agreement, millions of federal employees faced unpaid leave or work without pay, while key public services like parks and food […]

Woman Arrested in Saif Ali Khan Attack Case

The attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has taken a new turn, with the arrest of a woman from Nadia, West Bengal. Police claim that the woman is connected to the main suspect, Shariful Islam Shehzad. According to Indian media reports, the woman helped Shariful, a Bangladeshi national, enter India illegally. As per a […]

Bangladesh Seeks Additional $750 Million Loan from IMF Amid Economic Struggles

Bangladesh has formally requested an extra $750 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to alleviate its economic challenges and address foreign exchange shortages.In a statement issued on Wednesday, the IMF announced that a staff-level agreement has been made to release a fourth tranche of $645 million as part of the ongoing $4.7 billion loan […]

Biden Enacts Comprehensive Ban on Offshore Drilling, Challenging Trump’s Energy Plans

In a bold environmental move, US President Joe Biden has announced a comprehensive ban on new offshore oil and gas drilling along extensive stretches of the American coastline, just weeks before Donald Trump assumes office. This sweeping policy covers the entire Atlantic seaboard, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, all Pacific coasts from California to Washington […]