Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas reached a ceasefire and hostage deal on Wednesday, the Qatari mediators announced.

The ceasefire will take effect on Sunday. The agreement is aimed at ending 15 months of conflict in the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza, which inflamed broader West Asia.

The Israeli Cabinet still has to ratify the agreement.

Israel’s military offensive against Gaza began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, killing 1,200 persons and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza since then, killing more than 47,500 persons, including over 17,400 children.

Some of the hostages were released in November 2023 as part of a brief ceasefire deal and others were killed as a result of the war.

Several unsuccessful rounds of talks for a ceasefire were held since late 2023. Fresh negotiations took place in the Qatari capital Doha to the deal before Donald Trump takes office as the United States president on January 20. The talks are being mediated by neighbouring Egypt, Qatar and the United States’ Joe Biden administration.

Biden said on Wednesday that the ceasefire will have three phases. The first phase will last six weeks. In this phase, there will be a “full and complete ceasefire” with the Israeli military withdrawing from all populated areas of Gaza.

The US president announced that “a number of hostages” held by Hamas, including women, elderly and the wounded, would be released in the first phase. This will include United States citizens.

He did not specify how many hostages would be freed. However, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was earlier quoted as saying that 33 hostages would be released.

In exchange, Palestinian prisoners held by Israel will be freed, Reuters reported.

Palestinians will also be able to return to their neighbourhoods in Gaza.

About 1.9 million people in Gaza have been displaced within the territory, according to the United Nations’ Palestine refugee agency.

Biden added that second phase would be a “permanent end to the war”. It would also include the release of the remaining hostages, including men, in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. It also entails the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gazan territory.

The third and final phase would include the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of any remaining bodies of the hostages.

The negotiators were still working on steps to implement the deal, Al Thani was quoted as saying.

Palestinians in Gaza celebrated the confirmation of the deal, Al Jazeera reported. Israel, however, continued its attacks in Gaza, killing at least 30 persons after the agreement was announced.

US President-elect Donald Trump said that the ceasefire agreement could have only happened because of his “historic victory” in the presidential elections in November.

“With this deal in place, my national security team, through the efforts of special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to make sure Gaza never again becomes a terrorist safe haven,” Trump said on social media.

Washington is an ally of Israel and acts as a guarantor of the country’s security.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that the organisation is “steadfast in its commitment to supporting all efforts” that promote peace and stability” in the region.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs welcomed the ceasefire announcement.

“We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza,” the ministry said. “We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy.”