Oil prices fall slightly as risk premium fades after Gaza deal

Oil prices declined slightly on Friday after settling 1.6% lower in the previous session as the market’s risk premium faded after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a plan to end the war in Gaza. Brent crude futures were down 7 cents at $65.15 a barrel by 0338 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2 cents to $61.49. Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement on Thursday in the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the war in Gaza. Under the deal, which Israel’s government ratified on Friday, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza, and Hamas will free all remaining hostages it captured in the attack that precipitated the war, in exchange for hundreds of prisoners held by Israel.