Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage release agreement to halt more than a year of fighting in the Gaza Strip, President Biden and Qatar's prime minister announced separately on Wednesday. The deal comes after a week of intense negotiations mediated by Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt.

Israel and Hamas have reached a deal for a four-day pause in fighting and the release of at least 50 women and children held hostage in Gaza, marking a major diplomatic breakthrough nearly seven weeks after the start of a conflict that has spiraled into a grave humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return.

The breakthrough deal is the first of its kind in more than a year. It will create a 42-day cease-fire in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. The pause in fighting will allow Israel and the terror group Hamas to negotiate the terms to release the 97 hostages remaining in Gaza.

The deal, still not publicly announced, includes a six-week initial ceasefire phase and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel, an official briefed on the negotiations said.