Netanyahu's office says hostage deal now agreed

TEL AVIV, Israel

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a "deal to release the hostages" has been agreed.

Netanyahu had delayed a cabinet vote to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal, due on Thursday, accusing Hamas of seeking last-minute changes to the agreement.

On Friday morning his office said Netanyahu had been informed by the negotiating team that agreements on the deal had been reached.

He has ordered the political-security cabinet to convene later on Friday and the government "will then convene to approve the deal", Netanyahu's office said. Families of the hostages have been informed, it added.

Representatives of Israel, Hamas, the United States, and Qatar have officially signed the deal in Doha, Israeli media reports.

The ceasefire deal was first announced on Wednesday by mediators the US and Qatar.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said the agreement would come into effect on Sunday, pending Israeli cabinet approval.

At the time, Netanyahu said the deal's final details were still being worked on, but he thanked Biden for "promoting" it.

Netanyahu then delayed a cabinet vote to approve the deal on Thursday, accusing Hamas of trying to "extort last minute concessions".

Hamas said it was committed to the deal, but the BBC understands it was trying to add some of its members to the list of Palestinian prisoners that would be released under the deal.

Although Israeli negotiators have agreed to the deal, which follows months of talks, it cannot be implemented until it is approved by the security cabinet and government.