What does the ceasefire deal mean for Israel, Hamas and the Middle East?

Mediators said Israel and Hamas have agreed to pause the fighting in Gaza starting on Sunday after 15 months of war and to begin exchanging dozens of hostages held there for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had yet to confirm on Wednesday that the deal had been finalised.

But the ceasefire could eventually bring an end to the bloodiest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas, one that transformed the wider region and leaves the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the heart of the turmoil unresolved.

‘Total victory’ eludes Israel

Israel can point to countless tactical victories in the war, from the assassination of top Hamas leaders to the blows it rained on Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran itself, which backs both groups.

But Israel fell short on two central aims: Hamas to date has survived, even if greatly weakened, and several hostages taken captive during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack died in captivity. Some were accidentally killed by Israeli forces, others by their Hamas captors as troops closed in.

Israelis see the return of captives as a sacred obligation, worth the agonising price of releasing large numbers of imprisoned militants in lopsided deals. The inability to reach a deal through months of negotiations tore the country apart.

Netanyahu, who promised “total victory” and the return of all the captives, faced mass protests as critics, including some hostage families, accused him of putting his political interests ahead of quickly getting them back, allegations he vehemently denied.