A declaration on the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip is expected soon. Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar has approved the ceasefire agreement, The Times of Israel reports. Officials in Jerusalem have informed Israeli media that the agreement between Israel and Hamas on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is likely to be signed this evening.

WASHINGTON — More than 15 months into Israel’s devastating war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the two sides have agreed to a cease-fire deal that would pause fighting and free some Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to U.S. officials Wednesday.

The deal would pause fighting in the Gaza Strip and begin with an exchange of some of the hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a deal had been reached to release hostages held in Gaza. His comments, made on his Truth Social platform, came after an official said that Israel and Hamas had reached a ceasefire deal in the Gaza war.

President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump are both claiming credit for Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal in Gaza after the White House brought Trump's Middle East envoy into negotiations that have dragged on for months.

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.

Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would use the Gaza ceasefire deal as momentum to expand the Abraham Accords, U.S.-backed agreements struck during the president-elect's first term that normalized Israel's relations with several Arab countries.