Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down and fighting between the bitter enemies.
The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory.
Three officials from the U.S. and one from Hamas confirmed that a deal had been reached, while a senior Israeli official said details are still being ironed out.
All three U.S. officials requested anonymity to discuss the contours of the deal before the official announcement by mediators in Doha.
President Joe Biden was preparing to address the breakthrough agreement later Thursday, officials said.
Any agreement still needs to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 Cabinet, but is expected to go into effect in the coming days.
The deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether.
Over six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their loved ones after months in in captivity with no contact with the outside world, though it鈥檚 unclear if all are alive.
It remained unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians would be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement would lead to a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza 鈥� key Hamas demands for releasing the remaining captives.
Many longer-term questions about remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction.
Still, the announcement offered the first sign of hope in months that Israel and Hamas may be winding down the most deadly and they鈥檝e ever fought, a conflict that has and .
Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90% of Gaza鈥檚 population and sparked a humanitarian crisis.
More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023.
The U.S., along with Egypt and Qatar, have brokered months of indirect talks between the bitter enemies that finally culminated in this latest deal. It comes after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in November, after more than a year of conflict linked to the war in the Gaza.
Israel responded with a brutal air and ground offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. They do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed.
U.N. and international relief organizations estimate that some 90% of Gaza鈥檚 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times. They say tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and hospitals are barely functioning. Experts have warned that , where Israel launched a major offensive in early October, displacing tens of thousands of residents.
鈥淭he best day in my life and the life of the Gaza people,鈥� Abed Radwan, a Palestinian father of three, said of the ceasefire deal. 鈥淭hank God. Thank God.鈥�
Radwan, who has been displaced from the town of Beit Lahiya for over a year and shelters in Gaza City, said he will try to return to his hometown, and 鈥渞ebuild my house, and rebuild Beit Lahiya.鈥�
He spoke to AP over the phone. His voice has been overshadowed by celebrations. 鈥淧eople are crying here. They don鈥檛 believe it鈥檚 true.鈥�
