The Ghanaian Minaret

A ceasefire deal was reached Wednesday to end 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip, according to President Joe Biden, Qatar’s prime minister, and Hamas officials.

US President Joe Biden said it would “halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much needed-humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity”.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said earlier there were “several unresolved clauses” but it hoped details could be finalised on Wednesday night. A Hamas official said it had approved the draft from mediators.

The hard-won agreement will also free dozens of hostages held in Gaza, as well as Palestinians in Israeli jails, bringing the first real break in violence since a weeklong truce expired Dec. 1, 2023.

The deal will take effect Sunday, according to Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country hosted weeks of intense negotiations.

Under the phased agreement, Israeli forces would withdraw to the Gaza border, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and for the transfer of hostages and prisoners.

Large amounts of humanitarian aid would be shipped to the enclave, and hospitals and health care centres would be rebuilt, he said.

Hamas, meanwhile, will release 33 hostages in exchange for 100 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences, according to a portion of the deal shared by Hamas.

Israel will also release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners who were not involved in the Oct. 7 attacks, the text says, and an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners will also be released abroad or in Gaza.