The first phase of the deal, which includes a series of hostage and prisoner exchanges, is taking place from today. Meanwhile, Israel PM Netanyahu has vowed to bring home all hostages held in the Palestinian territory.

A ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas is set to come into effect on Sunday (January 19, 2025) morning with a hostage release to follow hours later, opening the way to a possible end to a 15-month war that has upended the Middle East.

Israel’s security Cabinet approves of the Gaza cease-fire, which would pause the war with Hamas and release dozens of hostages.