Months of tedious talks over a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza – negotiations that required officials from an outgoing and incoming presidential administration to put aside their fundamental differences – culminated in an intense late-night push for an agreement that finally came to fruition on Wednesday.

Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, and Keith Siegel, 65, were both included on a list of 33 hostages Hamas agreed to free if the deal, revealed Wednesday, is ratified by the Israeli government when it convenes Thursday morning. They are believed to be among the last three surviving Americans still held by Hamas.