A ceasefire in Gaza has come into effect, marking the first halt in fighting since November 2023. Israel and Hamas agreed to stop combat for 42 days with the ceasefire beginning at 11:15 a.m. local time after a three-hour delay. This temporary truce follows months of indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar Egypt and the U.S. and is tied to a significant hostage release deal.

The ceasefire comes in the aftermath of one of the deadliest conflicts in the region with over 46,000 Palestinians and 1,600 Israelis killed since the war began in October 2023. The war which was triggered by a Hamas attack has caused widespread devastation in Gaza, displacing millions and leaving much of the area uninhabitable.

The ceasefire had originally been scheduled to start earlier on Sunday but was delayed when Hamas failed to provide a list of hostages they would release. However this list was submitted at around 10:30 a.m. and the ceasefire began shortly after.

The deal includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages and 1,900 Palestinian prisoners including some convicted of killing Israelis. The release will begin Sunday at 4:00 p.m. local time and the first group to be freed will consist of Israeli women and Palestinian women and teenagers.

During the ceasefire some Israeli forces began to redeploy from Gaza and Palestinian civilians began returning to certain areas of Gaza. As part of the agreement, Israel will gradually withdraw to a buffer zone along the Gaza-Israel border and Palestinians will be allowed to return to northern Gaza. The deal also ensures the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza with 600 aid trucks set to deliver food shelter and medical supplies including fuel.

The agreement will be monitored by Qatar Egypt and the U.S. with a second phase of negotiations expected after 16 days potentially leading to a permanent ceasefire and the final release of all remaining hostages.