Israel and Hamas have agreed a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal following 15 months of war, mediators Qatar and the US say. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said the agreement would come into effect on Sunday so long as it was approved by the Israeli cabinet.

A year after Israel vowed to wipe Hamas ‘off the face of the earth’ following the 7 October attack into Israel the conflict has spread across the Middle East

Negotiators from Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 42-day cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, President Biden and other leaders announced on Wednesday, raising hopes that a 15-month war that killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and destroyed much of the enclave could soon come to an end.

The U.S. has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood, however the Israeli government opposes that plan. Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began on Oct.