Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire, mediators announced on Wednesday, halting a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the prospect of an end to the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the arch-enemyes.

The deal, reached after weeks of grueling negotiations in the Qatari capital, commits to the phased release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and the return of hundreds of thousands of Gaza's displaced people. . What is left of their homeland. It would also flood the affected areas with much-needed humanitarian aid.

Three U.S. officials and a Hamas official confirmed a deal had been reached, while a senior Israeli official said details were still being finalized.

All three U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the outlines of the agreement before Doha mediators formally announce it.

Officials said President Joe Biden was preparing to discuss the breakthrough deal later Thursday.

Any deal would still need to be approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, but is expected to take effect in the coming days.

The deal is expected to begin with a six-week truce while opening talks to end the war entirely.

Over six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages will be reunited with their loved ones after months of captivity and no contact with the outside world, but it is unclear whether all are still alive.

It is unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians will be able to return home, or whether the deal will lead to a complete end to the war and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza - a key demand for Hamas to free the Palestinians. The remaining prisoners.

Many long-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction.

Still, the announcement brings the first sign of hope in months that Israel and Hamas may be ending the deadliest and most destructive war they have ever fought, a conflict that has devastated stability across the Middle East and sparked protests around the world.

Hamas launched a cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, triggering the war that left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and another 250 taken hostage. Israel's violent offensive has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, displaced an estimated 90 percent of Gaza's population and triggered a humanitarian crisis, according to local health officials.

In November 2023, more than 100 hostages were released from Gaza during a week-long truce.

The latest deal was reached after months of indirect negotiations brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar between the two bitter rivals. This comes after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November after more than a year of conflict in the Gaza war.

Israel has responded with a brutal air and ground offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. They did not distinguish between civilians and militants but said more than half of the victims were women and children.

The United Nations and international relief organizations estimate that about 90 percent of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times. Tens of thousands of homes were destroyed and hospitals were barely functioning, they said. Experts have warned that famine may be developing in northern Gaza, where Israel launched a massive offensive in early October that displaced tens of thousands of residents.

"This is the best day in my life and in the life of the people of Gaza," Abed Radwan, a Palestinian father of three, said of the ceasefire. "Thank God. Thank God."

Radwan, who has been away from shelters in the town of Beit Lahiya and Gaza City for more than a year, said he would try to return to his hometown "to rebuild my house and rebuild Beit Lahiya."

He spoke to The Associated Press by phone. His voice was muffled by the celebration. "People are crying here. They don't believe this is real."