Around 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s assault since October 7, according to local health officials, with an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population displaced.
Israel has sparked a humanitarian crisis, with the healthcare system on the brink of collapse, minimal aid getting into Gaza and neighbourhoods reduced to rubble.
The long-awaited ceasefire deal announced on Wednesday, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. It would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes.
It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory.
READ MORE: International lawyers and academics react to Gaza ceasefire
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said there are still “several unresolved clauses” in the deal – but expressed hopes that details will be finalised in the coming hours.
Photographs coming in on Wednesday night showed Palestinians celebrating the landmark moment.
Photographers from AFP/Getty Images captured shots of thousands of people in Khan Younis reacting as the news came in via television. These photographs are below.
(Image: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty) (Image: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty) (Image: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty) (Image: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty) Meanwhile in Tel Aviv, Israel, people reacted to reports of a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal being reached during a rally calling for the return of the hostages taken by Hamas.
(Image: Amir Levy/Getty) (Image: Amir Levy/Getty)