Israel, Hamas reach ceasefire deal to end 15-month Gaza war
Palestinians celebrating news on a ceasefire with Israel, carry Al Jazeera correspondent Ashraf Amrah as he reports live in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal to halt fighting in Gaza and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an official briefed on the deal told Reuters on Wednesday, opening the way to a possible end to a 15-month war that has upended the Middle East.
The agreement follows months of on-off negotiations brokered by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the backing of the United States, and came just ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump.
