The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) hailed the recently reached Gaza ceasefire deal as the fruit of Palestinians' steadfastness and valiant resistance for more than 15 months.A Hamas statement extended thanks to mediators, led by Qatar and Egypt, who made great efforts to hammer out the agreement on Wednesday.Commending the deal as a great achievement for the Palestinian people and the free people of the world, the statement said it marks a turning point in the course of the conflict with the Israeli occupation, and constitutes an important step towards achieving the people's goals of liberation and return.It added the deal comes in response to its responsibility towards the patient people in the Gaza Strip, with the aim of stopping the aggression of the Israeli occupation and putting an end to the bloodshed, massacres and war of extermination to which the people of the Strip are being subjected.