Long-sought hostage release-ceasefire agreement could be formally announced within hours, sources say, with captives possibly starting to go free Sunday

Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said Tuesday. Mediators from the United States and Qatar said Israel and the Palestinian militant group were at the closest point yet to sealing a deal to bring them a step closer to ending 15 months of war.

Progress in cease-fire talks has raised hopes a deal could be reached to release some of the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip and pause fighting that has dragged on for 15 months.