As Israel, Hamas go into ceasefire, a look at key negotiators who brought 15-month Gaza war to an end

After 15 months of intense fighting, Israel and Hamas have finally agreed on a ceasefire deal, bringing relief to not only Gaza but also the rest of the world. The deal was based on the framework first introduced by US President Joe Biden and was agreed upon after 8 months of negotiations.

“Today, after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal,” Biden said in a written statement, confirming the news. “This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity,” he added.

It is pertinent to note that the United States was not the only key player in the negotiations. Delegations from Qatar and Egypt also worked day and night to ensure that both the warring parties agreed to a truce. Here’s a look at some of the key negotiators of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

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Key players that clinched the Gaza ceasefire

The ceasefire talks went on for months and comprised several delegates from the US, Egypt and Qatar as the mediators. Here’s a look at some of the key players who ensured that the talks reached their final destination:

• David Barnea

One of the key players in the negotiation talks was the Director of Mossad David Barnea, who led the the Israeli team throughout the process. Barnea worked alongside Israel’s security agency Shin Bet and key advisors of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

• Ronen Bar

Just like Barnea, the head of Shin Bet Ronan Bar was also involved in the ceasefire talks. According to The Associated Press, Bar was handling the matters relating to Palestinian prisoners. While he has been leading the Israeli security agency since 2021, he took responsibility for failing to thwart Hamas’s October 7 surprise attack in southern Israel, which turned out to be the catalyst of the war.

• Brett McGurk

When it comes to the American delegation, US President Joe Biden’s top advisor in the Middle East Brett MacGurk played a crucial role in putting together a draft of the deal. He came up with a framework after holding discussions with the two sides as the lead American negotiator in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks. It is pertinent to note that McGurk has been a fixture in US Middle East policy for more than two decades under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

• Steve Witkoff

Several Israeli media highlighted the contribution made by US President-elect Donald Trump’s envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. In recent weeks, Witkoff conducted separate meetings with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatari Premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, another key mediator.

Witkoff is a Florida real estate investor and co-chair of Trump’s inaugural committee. Before assuming the office, Witkoff kept close contact with Biden’s foreign policy team as the incoming Trump and outgoing Biden administrations coordinated on the deal.

• Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was leading his country in the mediation efforts in the stop-start negotiations. Since neither Israel nor the United States were in communication with Hamas, Al Thani was the key communicator with the Palestinian militant group.

• Hassan Rashad

Apart from the Qatari premier, the director of Egypt’s General Intelligence Agency was also a liaison with Hamas throughout the talks. Rashad replaced former chief intelligence official Abbas Kamel and assumed the role in October 2024. Kamel played a crucial role in leading the negotiations between the two parties, which ultimately led to the first ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in November 2023. Since then, several rounds of negotiations have taken place in Cairo. Not only this, the mediators will now move to the Egyptian capital to hold further talks in implementing the deal.

• Khalil al-Hayya

From Hamas, Khalil al-Hayya, the acting head of the political bureau of the Palestinian group, was the chief negotiator in the talks. Hayya is based in Qatar but did not hold a direct meeting with Israeli or American officials, communicating instead through Egyptian and Qatari mediators. His role in the talks increased eventually after Israeli soldiers killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip.

It is pertinent to note that the ceasefire is not in effect as of now. Not only this, there are several obstacles on the road to ensure a smooth ceasefire. However, the aforementioned negotiators worked tirelessly to ensure that both the warring sides agreed.

With inputs from agencies.