The negotiations that led to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement took months and months. At the center of the talks representing the United States was Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa.

The following is the transcript of an interview with Brett McGurk, the White House National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Jan.

In a rare move hours after the cease-fire took effect, one senior Hamas official said the group wants to engage the new Trump administration.

Lead U.S. Negotiator on the Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal Brett McGurk tells CNN’s Wolf Blitzer he formed a “very close partnership, even friendship” with President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff amid the ceasefire and hostage negotiations.

Brett McGurk, White House National Security Coordinator, spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

As the first three Israeli hostages held by Hamas were released to the Red Cross, Brett McGurk, the White House National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, tells "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the ceasefire deal is a "detailed,

The women are the first three hostages to be released under the newly implemented ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas

A senior administration official provided more details about how the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release agreement finally came together.

The story of how Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza stretches back over more than a year. The timing and unlikely partners who coalesced to push negotiations across the line help explain why it finally happened.

On January 11, Witkoff flew to Israel, securing a meeting with Netanyahu. McGurk called in from Doha. Netanyahu agreed to send the heads of Israeli intelligence and internal security back to Doha for negotiations, which mostly took place in the Qatari prime minister’s private office.

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday as Hamas released the first three female hostages it held for 15 months of the devastating war with Israel.