Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire Wednesday, a deal that will end 15 months of fighting in Gaza, senior Hamas and Qatari officials said.

Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement on a multiphase ceasefire that commits them to end the war in Gaza, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch said.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal, mediators announced Wednesday, pausing a devastating 15-month war in the Gaza Strip and raising the possibility of winding down the the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies.

WASHINGTON — More than 15 months into Israel’s devastating war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the two sides have agreed to a ceasefire deal that would pause fighting and free some Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, according to Associated Press on Wednesday.

As Israel and Hamas edge closer to a possible ceasefire-hostage agreement, a small number of families whose loved ones remain captive in Gaza are saying “No” to a deal.

Negotiators reached a phased ceasefire deal on Wednesday in the war in Gaza between Israel and the militant group Hamas, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.

The deal would pause fighting in the Gaza Strip and begin with an exchange of some of the hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Negotiators in Qatar appeared close on Wednesday to sealing a deal for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. Hamas had given verbal approval to the ceasefire and hostage return proposal under negotiation in Qatar and was waiting for more information to give final written approval, a Palestinian official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

DOHA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal to halt fighting in Gaza and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an official briefed on the deal told Reuters on Wednesday, opening the way to a possible end to a 15-month war that has upended the Middle East.

Negotiators have yet to confirm a start date and other technical issues. But if implemented, the first phase of the hard-won agreement would see dozens of hostages freed from Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israel.