Welcome to the beat. We are tracking breaking news in the Middle East.

Israel Hamas reached a ceasefire and hostage deal today. It is set for implementation this Sunday with a hostage exchange coming, a hard-fought development, that has set off celebrations on both sides, as you can see here.

The negotiators reaching and announcing this deal in Israel, the cabinet must still ratify.

The hostage exchange will involve 33 Israeli hostages in Gaza, and it will be in exchange for Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

From the American view, we can report tonight the deal contains a scheduled release of American hostages.

Today,

President Biden touted this foreign policy breakthrough. Here's some of what he said as the news came out today. We begin with major breaking news out of the Middle East, where we can now report that

negotiators in Qatar have reached a Gaza ceasefire deal.

You know, there was no other way for this war to end than with a hostage deal.

The implementation depends upon the parties as well as the goodwill of the parties.

I'm deeply satisfied. This day has finally come, for the sake of the people of Israel

and the families waiting in agony. Extraordinary news breaking out of the Middle East.

For the sake of the innocent people in Gaza, who suffered unimaginable devastation because of the war.

President Biden recounting those high costs in the region where he has repeatedly put a focus

of his administration and his personal diplomacy. The other voice that you just heard there was

actually Qatar's leader discussing the party's goodwill to follow through. He helped broker this

deal in Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu has not yet commented. His administration says it is

eyeing these final details that are being still hammered out. Hamas touts the deal as progress

for Gaza, which has been reeling from the bombing and the counterattacks. Over 40,000 have died there

since Hamas launched the October 7th attack, taking the original roughly 250

hostages, innocent individuals taken from Israel. 1,200 people also killed in Israel in that ensuing

15 months of fighting. Other observers in the region see the ceasefire as a step towards a possible,

...