Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal to end 15 months of war in Gaza.
The deal follows months of talks, with Qatar one of the key mediators.
The move will see thousands of displaced Gazan’s return home.
Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 back to Gaza as hostages.
The attack triggered a massive Israeli offensive on Gaza, during which more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Israel says 94 hostages are still being held by Hamas of whom 34 are presumed dead.
US President-elect Donald Trump says “we have a deal for the hostages” and that “they will be released shortly” – but the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says there still several unresolved clauses in the deal.
The EU’s Commissioner for the Mediterranean has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, saying it will bring “much-needed relief to those affected by the devastating conflict”.
In a post on X, Dubravka Suica said the bloc “remains committed to supporting all efforts towards a long-lasting peace and recovery”.
The families of US citizens held captive in Gaza say they are “deeply grateful” that an agreement has been reached “to bring our loved ones home”.
In a statement, the Families of American Hostages group thanks President Biden, President-elect Trump and their teams for their efforts.
“The tireless collaboration between Israel, Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and other parties was critical in reaching this moment,” they add.
SOURCE: BBC