The Israel Defense Forces continues its intense airstrike and ground campaigns in Gaza with ceasefire talks resuming in Qatar.

During an initial 42-day ceasefire, Palestinian militant groups will hand over 33 hostages, three of them on Sunday, and Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some of whom will be deported.

A senior administration official provided more details about how the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release agreement finally came together.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken is “confident” the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal will be implemented on Sunday, he told reporters Thursday morning. His comments came hours after the deal’s progress was cast into doubt following a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office that Hamas had reneged on parts of the agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is tapping the brakes on claims of success by President Biden, President-elect Trump and partners in the Middle East that a ceasefire and hostage release deal has been achieved to pause 15 months of war.

16 (UPI) --Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office delayed ... working with President Biden's top Middle East adviser Brett McGurk to push the negotiations forward and ensure continuity ...

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President ... and Biden’s top Mideast adviser, Brett McGurk, were both in the Qatari capital Doha.

met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Saturday to pressure him on a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, there was someone on the speakerphone: Brett H. McGurk, President Joe Biden ...

Steve Witkoff's meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday came after he held a meeting with Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says ceasefire ... officials say WASHINGTON — White House Middle East adviser Brett McGurk had briefed Biden administration officials on ...

Israel's cabinet approved a ceasefire deal with Hamas, involving the release of hostages in Gaza. The agreement, effective Sunday, includes a phased exchange of hostages and prisoners.