Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire Wednesday, a deal that will end 15 months of fighting in Gaza, senior Hamas and Qatari officials said.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies.

Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas have reached the first stage of a ceasefire agreement that would begin the process of freeing Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Israel releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners,