Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced on Wednesday that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip has been officially reached.

The announcement came at a press conference held by the Qatari Prime Minister in the capital, Doha, shortly after Hamas announced that its delegation had handed over its agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange to Qatari and Egyptian mediators.

The Qatari foreign minister said: ‘Qatar, Egypt and the United States are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached on Gaza. He noted that the implementation of the agreement will begin next Sunday, 19 January.