A ceasefire deal has been reached in Gaza.
The US and Qatar confirmed an agreement had been made between Israel and Hamas to pause the 15-month-long war in Gaza, and release dozens of Israeli hostages.
Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails will also be freed.
The deal will take effect on Sunday, January 19, and include three phases.
This is what we know about the terms.
What's in the deal?
Assuming it is formally approved by Israel's war cabinet, these are the phases.
- A six-week halt to fighting and the opening of negotiations on ending the war
- Hamas will release 33 of the estimated 100 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza
- Gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza
- The deal requires 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the ceasefire, 50 of them carrying fuel, with 300 of the trucks allocated to north Gaza
- Israel will release 30 Palestinian detainees for every civilian hostage and 50 Palestinian detainees for every Israeli female soldier Hamas releases
- Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since October 7, 2023 by end of the first phase
- The final details are still being worked out, including the list of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to be freed
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Hamas had dropped a last-minute demand and there were still a number of unresolved items in the deal.
"We hope that the details will be closed tonight," it said in a statement.
A Hamas official called the deal "a great gain that reflects the legend that had been achieved through the steadfastness of Gaza, its people, and the bravery of its resistance".
"It is also a reassertion of the occupation's failure to achieve any of its goals," Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters
Negotiations are expected to start on Day 16 of the ceasefire and include:
The release of all remaining hostages in Gaza including Israeli male soldiers
The remaining hostages would be released in return for more Palestinian prisoners
The complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire
Stage two would be "a permanent end to the war," according to US President Joe Biden
Israel has said it would not agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamas's military and political capabilities are eliminated
Hamas has said it would not hand over the last hostages until Israel removes all troops
The final phase calls for the return of the bodies of remaining hostages and the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.
Mr Biden said the ceasefire was "one of the toughest negotiations I've ever experienced".
"Those of you who have followed the negotiations can attest the road to this deal has not been easy," he said.
On his Truth Social media site, president-elect Donald Trump said the deal would not have happened if he had not won the US election in November.
Middle East expert Laura Blumenfeld from Johns Hopkins University said the ceasefire deal was "very delicate" and needs to be taken "one step at a time".
"It is hugely significant, but I'm sorry to say we're stopping the bleeding, but there's a long way to heal," she told ABC News Breakfast.
"I think it's more a sense of exhaustion in the Middle East rather than exhilaration, because it has been a hugely destructive war."
What have the reactions been?
Palestinians responded to news of the deal by celebrating in the streets of Gaza.
In Tel Aviv, families of Israeli hostages and their friends rejoiced at the news, saying in a statement they felt "overwhelming joy and relief (about) the agreement to bring our loved ones home".
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed the ceasefire announcement as "a constructive step towards peace" after 15 months of devastation.
In a joint statement, Mr Albanese and Senator Wong said Australia had consistently been part of the international call for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
The PM urged all parties to respect the terms of the ceasefire deal, including ensuring the immediate release of all hostages and unimpeded and sustained increases in humanitarian assistance in all parts of Gaza.
"We hope it will allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild, reform their governance, and pursue self-determination," the statement read.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas.
Egypt has been a key player in ceasefire negotiations, along with Qatar and the United States.
In a post on X, President Al-Sisi stressed the importance of a fast delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped the deal would benefit "our region and all of humanity, and will open the door to lasting peace and stability".
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said it "brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long".
Who are Hamas?
On October 7 2023, Hamas launched a surprise terror attack in Israel that killed more than 1,200 people, while another 250 people were taken hostage to Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.
In response, Israel launched air strikes on Gaza that have to date killed an estimated 46,000 Palestinians, and injured hundreds of thousands, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The group was founded in the late 1980s as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and backed by Iran.
Until May 2017, its charter explicitly called for the destruction of Israel, with which it has fought a number of wars over the past two decades.
Since 2007, Hamas has had sole control of the Gaza Strip, after ousting Fatah from the territory in a brief civil war.
The group's aim is to end Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and support the establishment of an Islamic state.
Hamas is one of the players in Iran’s Axis of Resistance, which also includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
The Australian Government has listed Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
How many hostages remain?
It is estimated there are currently 98 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza.
A group representing the hostages' families issued a statement after the ceasefire and hostage deal was announced.
The group thanked Mr Trump and Mr Biden as well as international mediators for closing the deal.
"We, the families of 98 hostages, welcome with overwhelming joy and relief the agreement to bring our loved ones home," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters said.
"However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind.
"We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out.
"We will not rest until we see the last hostage back home."
Gaza humanitarian situation, by numbers
The ceasefire is meant to bring a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Earlier this month, the United Nations detailed the humanitarian crisis facing the Gaza Strip.
- At least 1.9 million people are displaced
- About 92 per cent of housing units are destroyed
- About 68 per cent of the road network is destroyed or damaged
- There are "zero" fuel reserves to operate generators at hospitals
- About 88 per cent of school buildings need rebuilding or major repairs
- About three months of rations for Gaza's population are waiting to enter
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the humanitarian group was ready to support the implementation of the ceasefire deal and scale up delivery of humanitarian aid.
"Our priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict," he said.
ABC/Wires
