The negotiations to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas were filled with challenges and complications. The government of Qatar initiated contact with the United States six weeks ago to discuss the situation. Due to the sensitivity of the mission, only a limited number of people were aware of the talks. A communications cell was established to directly reach Hamas, allowing negotiators to speak regularly without additional bureaucracy.

Throughout the negotiations, President Joe Biden and other senior U.S. officials assured distraught family members of the hostages that they were doing everything they could to secure their loved ones' release. Biden remained actively involved in the talks, speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other world leaders to stress the importance of moving from agreement to actual releases. He vowed that he would not relent until all American hostages in Gaza were freed.

The final agreement that emerged during a four-day cease-fire stipulated that Hamas would release 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. This deal evolved through weeks of negotiations, with various proposals being put forward and rejected. One of the earliest proposals suggested releasing all women and children held by Hamas in return for freeing all Palestinian women in Israeli prisons. While this initial proposal was rejected by Israel, it opened the door for further talks.

The negotiations faced multiple challenges. Israel demanded proof of life for the hostages and information about the individuals being held. Hamas accused Israel of stalling the talks, while Israel revised its ground invasion plans to accommodate a potential cease-fire. The talks continued with Qatar and Egypt acting as intermediaries, but Hamas refused to provide identifying information for the hostages.

President Biden reached a breaking point on November 12 and demanded specifics from Hamas. He insisted on clear identifications for the hostages to proceed with the agreement. Shortly after that call, Hamas provided the information the U.S. had sought. Biden then called Netanyahu and urged him to accept the deal. Netanyahu agreed, and the mediators worked on finalizing the terms of the agreement.

The final agreement included a four-day cease-fire and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages. The details continued to be hammered out, and Hamas briefly threatened to abandon the talks after Israeli forces entered Shifa Hospital. However, with pressure from Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S., the sides reached a compromise. Talks resumed, and the finer points of the hostage agreement were worked out.

On November 21, Hamas informed Qatari officials that they were on board with the agreement. Israel's war cabinet signed off on the deal the following day. Netanyahu acknowledged the efforts of President Biden and expressed gratitude for his involvement in improving the outline of the agreement. The negotiations were a challenging and complex process, but ultimately resulted in the release of hostages held by Hamas.