JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Under the Gaza ceasefire deal, Israel has agreed to release Palestinians held in Israeli jails in return for freeing hostages taken by the militant group Hamas in their Oct. 7, 2023 attack.

President Biden said in an MSNBC interview that he pushed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to prevent civilian deaths during the Gaza war. He also defended his steadfast support for Israel.

How exactly can you ‘win’ a genocide unless you were lying about genocide in the first place?’ Congressman Ritchie Torres asks.

Several Palestinians expressed hope for peace after mediators announced a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel had been reached.

The city of Jenin in the northern West Bank has been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades.

With a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas tantalizingly close, families of hostages in the Gaza Strip are afraid to get their hopes up and agonizing over the unknown. “These days are horrible for us,” Yafit Zailer said Wednesday,

Celebrations erupted across Gaza as news spread of an imminent ceasefire announcement, with people rejoicing at the idea of more humanitarian aid coming in, and an end to Israeli airstrikes.

Outgoing Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "has to find a way to accommodate the legitimate concerns" of Palestinians for the long term sustainability of Israel.

As one of the oldest hostages taken by Hamas, Oded Lifshitz would be among the first to be released under a ceasefire deal.

Israel's cabinet voted to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal on Saturday, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, ending days of uncertainty about whether the truce would go into effect this weekend.

Israel's cabinet approved a deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas for a ceasefire and release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Saturday, a day ahead of the agreement's scheduled start.