ALBAWABA - The Gaza ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel takes effect at 0630GMT, according to the agreed timeline of mediators Qatar, Egypt, and the US.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday morning that Israel will delay the Gaza ceasefire, which was scheduled to start at 630 GMT, unless Hamas hands over the list of names of hostages who will be released.
Hamas responded to Netanyahu's threat and justified the delay in sending the hostages list due to 'technical reasons'. It also confirmed its commitment to the terms of the agreement.
A ceasefire agreement was reached on Jan. 15 between the Hamas movement and Israel ending the war which has been ongoing for 467 days. Celebrations were marked across Gaza after the announcement of the ceasefire deal.
The agreement's first phase will include a humanitarian protocol overseen by mediators, allowing wounded individuals from the Gaza Strip to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Mediators increased their efforts to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza before the inauguration ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump, scheduled on Jan. 20. Brett McGurk, Trump's envoy to the Middle East, attended ceasefire talks in Doha, Qatar to fasten the deal.
After the final rounds of talks in Doha, the spokesperson of the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Majed al-Ansari said: "A draft agreement has been handed to both Hamas and Israel and major obstacles on key contentious issues between the two sides have been addressed."
