Celebrations erupted in the streets of Deir al-Balah in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday following news of an expected ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
“All citizens feel relieved and happy with the news of the ceasefire,” Deir al-Balah resident Abu Iyad Abu Obeid told the Associated Press. “We hope to return to our homes, villages, and cities as soon as possible.”
The ceasefire deal, announced by multiple officials, aims to pause the brutal fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. After weeks of intense negotiations in the Qatari capital of Doha, the deal raises hopes of ending the deadliest and most destructive conflict between the two sides in recent years.
The agreement includes the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, as well as the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. It also allows for the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced people to their homes in Gaza and promises to provide essential humanitarian aid to the region, which has been devastated by 15 months of warfare.
Three U.S. officials and one Hamas official confirmed the deal had been reached, though they requested anonymity to discuss the details before the official announcement. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that final details were still being worked out, and the agreement would require approval from Netanyahu’s Cabinet.
Once finalized, the ceasefire will take effect for an initial six weeks, during which time negotiations will begin to discuss the possibility of ending the war entirely. The ceasefire will also see the release of 33 hostages, out of nearly 100, who have been held in captivity by Hamas for months with no contact with the outside world. However, it remains unclear how many of them are still alive.
The ongoing war has claimed the lives of more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the region’s health authorities. While the Health Ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians, it has reported that women and children account for more than half of the fatalities.