In the deal’s first stage, 33 of the 98 hostages will be freed over the course of six weeks. About half of the 98 are believed to be alive.

The remainder are set to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first.

Hamas has said it won’t release everyone without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.

Between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian prisoners and detainees will be released in exchange, depending on the number of hostages freed.

A ceasefire has been long in the works and on Wednesday mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US led to agreement on this latest deal.

However, in the meantime, Israel has not stopped bombing Gaza with Palestinian officials saying 86 people were killed just a day after the agreement was revealed.

Malta has welcomed the news of the ceasefire deal with Prime Minister Robert Abela and Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg both releasing supportive statements.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also expressed her support of the deal before meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa to discuss both the ceasefire and the future of Gaza that is expected to receive EU financial aid.

The critical deal hopes to end 13 months of bombing which have killed over 46,000 people in Gaza – mostly women and children, according to Palestinian officials. Most of the essential infrastructure in Gaza has also been destroyed, this includes hospitals, schools and homes.

In the 7th October attack that sparked the escalation in the decades-long conflict, around 1,200 people were killed in Israel while another 250 were kidnapped.