Israel and Hamas agreed to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, mediators announced Wednesday, raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies.

After 15 months of fighting, following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, the two sides have agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal, a three-phase plan that is expected to see the release of dozens of hostages,

Should everything proceed according to plan, subsequent negotiations would assure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and the reconstruction of Gaza in the deal’s second and third stages. Given the precarious nature of the deal’s phased structure,