A ceasefire in the Gaza war will begin on Sunday morning, mediator Qatar said after Israel’s cabinet voted to approve the truce and hostage-prisoner release deal.
Since Qatar and the United States, which mediated the deal along with Egypt, announced the agreement on Wednesday, Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued.
On Saturday, Gaza’s civil defense rescue agency said at least five members of a family were killed when a strike hit their tent in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza.
Explosions were heard over Jerusalem after air raid sirens blared, and the military said a projectile had been launched from Yemen, whose Iran-backed Huthi rebels say they support the Palestinians.
The Huthis said they targeted the Israeli defense ministry before air raid sirens sounded again in southern Israel in the afternoon, and the military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.
“As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30 am (0630 GMT) on Sunday,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said.
In more than 15 months of war between Hamas and Israel, there has been only one previous truce, for one week, in November 2023. That deal also saw the release of hostages held by the militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Cox’s Bazar Life Desk/AFP
