Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas comes into effect, reports Egyptian media

Cairo (Web Desk): The US-brokered Gaza ceasefire agreement has gone into effect on Thursday, reported Egypt's media.

The US-brokered Gaza ceasefire has finally taken today at 2pm. Pakistan Standard Time after two years of relentless Israeli aggression.

The development has been welcomed by world leaders and various countries across the globe.

According to Egyptian media reports, the agreement marks a significant turning point in the Gaza conflict.

Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the positive progress achieved in Sharm el-Sheikh has opened new avenues toward ending the war and restoring peace.

The ministry further confirmed that Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty will travel to Paris to attend a ministerial meeting, where he will discuss the next steps related to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

The Egyptian president officially confirmed that both sides have agreed to maintain the truce and bring the fighting to an end. 
Meanwhile, an Israeli official revealed that under the terms of the agreement, the release of 20 Israeli hostages held in Gaza is expected to take place on Sunday or Monday.

On the other hand, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has stated that the agreement for the release of hostages in Gaza will only become effective once it secures approval from the cabinet.

In a statement, the office clarified, “Contrary to reports circulating in Arab media, the 72-hour countdown will commence only after the cabinet endorses the deal, which is expected to happen during the evening meeting.”

Media outlets report that Netanyahu plans to summon the security cabinet on Thursday evening to deliberate on the agreement, though lawmaker Bezalel Smotrich has already declared his opposition to the proposal.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier revealed that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the initial phase of his ceasefire initiative, which also includes a prisoner exchange. Speaking on Fox News’ Hannity on Wednesday, Trump mentioned that the hostages held in Gaza would likely be freed on Monday under the first stage of the arrangement.

The announcement triggered scenes of jubilation among Palestinians and families of Israeli captives, who celebrated reports of a truce and the return of all hostages, both alive and deceased.

In Gaza, where most of the population has been displaced by continuous bombardment, young men gathered in the streets to applaud and cheer amid the ruins, even as airstrikes continued to pound parts of the enclave.