The Palestinian group Hamas and Israel have reached a ceasefire agreement which could end the merciless 15-month long war in the Gaza Strip, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced on Wednesday. 

The ceasefire deal outlines a six-week pause to fighting in the enclave, according to the Associated Press, with three phases overseeing the release of remaining hostages in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel over a period of time. Badly needed humanitarian aid will also be rushed in.

The parties will then meet again to finalize an agreement to officially end the war, according to the AP.

The deal is backed by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, and will take into effect on Sunday.

The war in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians and injured at least 100,000 since October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Over 151,000 structures in Gaza have been destroyed by Israeli airstrikes over the course of the war, with all universities, places of worship, and medical facilities either destroyed or deemed inoperable by authorities.

Close to 90% of the 2.3 million population of Gaza have become internally displaced as a result of the war, according to the United Nations.

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