Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, according to a source speaking to Reuters on Wednesday. The agreement includes a prisoner swap between Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, paving the way for a potential end to the 15-month war that has shaken the Middle East.

The agreement outlines an initial six-week ceasefire, during which Israeli forces will gradually withdraw, and Hamas will release Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The release will begin with living hostages, followed by the remains of deceased ones. Hamas will release three hostages per week, with the remainder freed before the end of the period.

The agreement has been backed by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States to ensure its implementation. The deal, which has been under discussion since mid-2024, will help end a war that has claimed tens of thousands of Palestinian lives, destroyed large parts of Gaza, and displaced most of its 2.3 million residents. 

The ceasefire will also ease tensions in the Middle East, where the war has sparked confrontations in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, and raised fears of a broader conflict between Israel and Iran.

Israel launched its offensive in Gaza on October 7, 2023, after Hamas militants attacked towns in southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. Health officials in Gaza report that Israeli forces have killed over 46,700 Palestinians since then.

Under the agreement, Israel will recover around 100 hostages still in Gaza, along with the bodies of those captured during the October 7 attack. In return, Israel will release Palestinian detainees.