Israel-Hamas ceasefire: 2 Americans expected to be released by Hamas in first phase of deal 

In Tel Aviv, some relatives of hostages held by Hamas were not celebrating the ceasefire announcement, disappointed that the plan allows for such a staggered and uncertain release of their loved ones.

Palestinians gathered in the West Bank to revel in the news that a ceasefire could come as soon as Sunday.

Video circulated on social media of people waving flags and praising Allah in the streets of Ramallah. They also praised Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who was killed by Israel and believed to be behind the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel.

"May God bless your soul, Sinwar," people chanted. "May God bless your soul, Sinwar."

J Street, a liberal pro-Israel advocacy group based in the United States, says it welcomes news of a ceasefire deal and hopes it will end the "daily terror" endured by families in Gaza and those displaced in Israel.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, the organization's president, said in a statement that extremists on "both sides" may try to spoil the agreement but that they cannot be allowed to succeed.

"Implementation of the agreement will now be key: All the hostages have to come home," Ben-Ami said. "Rockets need to stop. Forces must pull back. Aid has to get in. The war needs to end."

Mediators of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire proposal vowed in a statement today that leaders from Egypt, Qatar and the United States would act as guarantors of the agreement.

Their role is to ensure both parties implement all three phases of the agreement in full, working with Israel and Hamas to ensure the obligations are met. It is expected to begin Sunday if Israel's Cabinet and Supreme Court allow the deal to proceed.

"The guarantors will also work in coordination with the United Nations, donor countries, and partners from around the world to support a rapid and sustained increase in humanitarian assistance to Gaza under the terms set out in the agreement," the statement said.

The deal aims to allow a "return to sustainable calm, achieving a permanent ceasefire between the two parties."

American hostages Sagui Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel are alive and expected to be released in the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, a senior administration official said.

The first phase would see the release of women, children, elderly and wounded hostages.

Siegel is in his 60s and his wife, Aviva, was among those released in the 2023 temporary ceasefire agreement. Dekel-Chen turned 36 while in captivity, and his father, Jonathan, told NBC News that his family has not heard about his condition in roughly a year.

Dekel-Chen was shot during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack, the senior administration official said, which qualified him for release under the wounded category. Other male hostages are expected to be released during a later phase of the deal.

Netanyahu spoke to Trump to thank him for his commitment to the release of hostages before he spoke to Biden to thank him for his help in negotiations, the prime minister's office said.

"The Prime Minister emphasized his commitment to bringing back all the hostages by any means and praised the President-elect for his statement that the United States will work with Israel to ensure that Gaza will never again become a haven for terrorism," Netanyahu's office said.

He and Trump, who is set to be inaugurated next week, also discussed Netanyahu's visiting Washington to discuss the deal, as well as other matters. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, but the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, which would require it to detain Netanyahu if he steps onto U.S. soil.

Yarden Bibas, his wife, Shiri, and their sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 1, were kidnapped from their home in Israel's Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023. Shiri and her sons might be among the 33 hostages released as part of the ceasefire agreement, but their family is "waiting for certainty" before it celebrates the news.

"We are aware of the publications stating that all of our family members are included in phase A of the agreement and that Shiri and the children are among the first to be released," the family said in a statement. "We have learned from experience and disappointment, and therefore, until our loved ones cross the border, there is no end to the story."

"We are waiting for certainty regarding their release and their condition and ask that you do not contact us during this sensitive period. We ask that you do not help spread rumors," the family added. "We are addressing the prime minister and continue to demand the return of everyone, down to the last abductee."

Today in Tel Aviv's "Hostage Square," Shiri's cousin Jimmy Miller reflected on the time his loved ones have been held.

“This Saturday Kfir will be 2 years old,” Miller said. “This kid never celebrated his birthday with his family, with his parents. It’s a terrible thing to think about.”

“I really hope that he’s going to celebrate his second birthday after a few days,” said Miller, 48. “That he’s going to be released from Gaza. It’s a big hope, and I really hope that it’s going to happen.” 

In addition to the release of hostages, the outline of the ceasefire agreement, which is not yet finalized, includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, a Palestinian prisoner exchange, an influx of humanitarian aid and the reopening of the Rafah Crossing, Hamas spokesperson Basim Naim said.

It's unclear which specific aspects of the deal have been agreed to and which are void.

Hostages would be exchanged for Palestinians in Israeli custody, including 1,000 Gazan detainees who had no involvement in the Oct.7, 2023, attack but have been detained by Israel since then.

Israeli troops would also gradually withdraw eastward from densely populated areas of Gaza, deployed in a perimeter based on maps to be agreed upon by both Israel and Hamas. The military would also gradually reduce its troops in the Philadelphi corridor until the eventual withdrawal by the end of 50 days.

The Rafah Crossing on the border between Gaza and Egypt would be reopened for civilians and the transfer of the wounded.

After a deal was announced, “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv stood quiet as families of hostages stayed home, some expressing disbelief until their loved ones are safely returned.

Nearby, at a protest outside the Defense Ministry, emotions ran high as demonstrators criticized the government, claiming the deal mirrors one that could have been reached in May.