Trump: An agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas; Here's the deal, which goes into effect on Sunday

AUTHOR.M.J. GDNUS

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and U.S. President Joe Biden say they have reached a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that will end the devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and pave the way for dozens of Israeli hostages to return home.Biden said that after many months of intense diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas - which the United States and the European Union consider a terrorist organization - have reached a ceasefire and hostage agreement.Announcing the deal in the Qatari capital Doha, where weeks of painstaking negotiations have taken place, Sheikh Al Thani said the deal would come into force on Sunday."This agreement will halt the fighting in Gaza, increase much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," Biden said in a statement.The deal promises the release in stages of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and allowing hundreds of thousands of people who have fled Gaza to return to their homes.It also envisages sending emergency humanitarian aid to war-torn areas.The deal is expected to bring a six-week cessation of fighting, with the opening of negotiations to end the war completely.U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says he has reached an agreement between Israel and Hamas to end the conflict in Gaza and exchange Israeli hostages."We have a deal for hostages in the Middle East. They'll be released soon. Thank you!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.