What we know about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire — and what it means for Gaza

TEL AVIV — A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has been reached after 15 months of devastating war that has seen tens of thousands of people killed in Gaza, left scores of Israeli hostages in dire limbo, and changed the face of the Middle East.

The truce, announced Wednesday, is expected to bring a halt to the deadly fighting in the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 46,500 people, according to local health officials, with much-needed aid also expected to flow into Gaza. It will also see the phased release of hostages captured during the Oct. 7 2023 terror attack still being held in Gaza, as well as the release of Palestinians detained by Israel.

Here’s what we know so far about the three-phase deal: 

What would happen in the the first phase? 

The three-stage agreement outlines a roughly six-week initial ceasefire phase that could begin as early as the end of the week, a diplomatic source in Washington told NBC News.

Before the deal can get underway, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have to seek approval for the agreement from his security Cabinet and his full Cabinet before Israel’s Supreme Court would have 24 hours to permit an appeal.

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As a result, the earliest a ceasefire could go into effect would likely be Friday, the diplomatic source said, though the truce is expected to begin Sunday if Israel’s Cabinet and Supreme Court allow the deal to move forward.

It is unclear when the Israeli cabinet will convene, however, with Netanyahu’s office on Thursday reporting a delay, accusing Hamas of reneging on part of the deal and creating a “last minute crisis.” The Israeli leader’s office did not expand further and a spokesperson for Hamas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.