Washington Hamas and Israeli officials, together with a source briefed on the negotiations, told NBC News on Wednesday that a ceasefire agreement had been reached to put an end to 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip.
The hard-won deal will also release Palestinian inmates in Israeli prisons and dozens of hostages held in Gaza, marking the first significant lull in conflict since a week-long truce ended on December 1, 2023.
The announcement comes after weeks of negotiations mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt amid a harsh winter for Gaza’s civilian population and significant events throughout the Middle East that have hurt Israel’s adversary, Iran.
Although a deal between Israel and Hamas has not been formally publicized, top Hamas official Basem Naim told NBC News that the militant group had accepted it.