A prisoner swap between the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban freed two Americans in exchange for a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges, officials said Tuesday.

A Gaza ceasefire agreement has been reached, Qatar has confirmed - as President Joe Biden announced the imminent release of US and Israeli hostages.

Fighters from the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, control the crowd while Red Cross vehicles come to collect Israeli hostages to be released under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, Jan. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Abed Hajjar, File)

A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, involving a halt of the fighting and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Following the announcement, both US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump claimed credit for the Gaza ceasefire.

Netanyahu's office said Hamas had "reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions."

The ceasefire deal marks a major win for President Joe Biden in his final days in office, but President-elect Donald Trump is also seeking credit.

Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement just days ahead of Trump taking office. The conflict had raged in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, in the wake of a Hamas raid on Israel that saw it seize roughly 250 hostages and kill more than 1,200 civilians.

Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip whilst Israel insists details are still being finalised

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden bid goodbye to the American people Wednesday ... The Biden administration brokered the deal, along with Qatar and Egypt. Biden started his speech by reflecting for a few minutes on that agreement, which he said had ...

Their dealmaking cooperation represents an unusual moment in the polarized world of U.S. politics. But it did not stop both Trump and Biden from touting their respective roles.

The two were exchanged for a man arrested in eastern Afghanistan two decades ago who has been serving a life sentence in a California prison.

To know more about the latest Jobs in Qatar Like our facebook page