Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Hammered Out During 11th-Hour Talks Over Hostages

DOHA, Qatar—Key negotiators in an agreement to free Israeli hostages and pause the fighting in Gaza said the deal would take effect Friday morning, even as the parties raced to overcome sticking points to the arrangement weeks in the making.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said a temporary cease-fire would begin at 7 a.m. local time Friday. In return, an initial group of 13 hostages, all women and children held by Hamas, would be freed around 4 p.m. the same day, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari. A group of Palestinian prisoners, also women and children, would be released around the same time, he added.