Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire deal that will pause fighting in Gaza for six weeks and lead to the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, President Joe Biden said Wednesday afternoon,

The deal, mediated by the United States, offered a glimmer of hope in a conflict that has taken an immense human toll.

Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas - which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and others - in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.