An armistice is an agreement between warring parties to stop hostilities and lay down arms, often as a precursor to peace negotiations. It does not formally end a war, but it serves as a temporary cessation of fighting. Armistices can be bilateral or multilateral and may be negotiated for various reasons, including humanitarian concerns or to facilitate negotiations for a more comprehensive peace treaty. The most famous armistice is the one that ended World War I on November 11, 1918.