Ceasefire and hostage swap agreed between Israel and Hamas, Qatar announces

After 15 months of intense conflict, negotiators have reached a phased agreement to end the war between Israel and Hamas, US and Qatari officials announced on Wednesday.

The deal, which is aimed at halting the bloodshed that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, outlines a six-week ceasefire and includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Additionally, the agreement provides for the exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.

The ceasefire, which will take effect on Sunday, has been hailed as a critical step towards peace.

"This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," US President Joe Biden said in a statement from Washington.

In Gaza, Palestinians celebrated the agreement amid a severe humanitarian crisis, with shortages of food, water, and fuel. Ghada, a displaced mother of five, expressed her joy: "I am happy, yes, I am crying, but those are tears of joy."

The deal also brought relief to the families of Israeli hostages. A group representing the families of 98 Israeli hostages said, “We welcome with overwhelming joy and relief the agreement to bring our loved ones home.”

The deal follows months of difficult negotiations, facilitated by Egyptian and Qatari mediators and backed by the United States.

If successful, the phased ceasefire will provide much-needed relief to Gaza, where heavy air and ground assaults have decimated much of the territory, displacing the majority of its 2.3 million residents. The death toll continues to rise daily.

Phase one of the deal calls for the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including all women, children, and men over 50. Hamas, which controls Gaza, described the accord as "a great gain" and approved the ceasefire and hostages' return.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that there were still unresolved issues, adding that Hamas had dropped a last-minute demand.

The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israeli border communities, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting over 250 hostages.

Israel’s subsequent air and ground war in Gaza has claimed more than 46,000 lives, according to Gaza health ministry figures. Hundreds of thousands of displaced people continue to endure harsh conditions in makeshift shelters.