Gaza ceasefire to begin Sunday after Israel approves deal in marathon cabinet meeting

Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal, with a pause in fighting in Gaza and the phased release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners expected to begin Sunday. Follow for live updates.

• Israel’s government approved a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal after deliberating for more than seven hours early into Saturday. The vote clears the way for the first pause in fighting in months and the phased exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. • Israel says the agreement will go into effect at 8:30 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. ET). Three female Israeli civilian hostages held in Gaza are expected to be released on the first day, according to two US officials. • International aid agencies are vowing to scale up their work in Gaza under the deal. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees called for “rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access” to the strip to relieve the suffering caused by war. • With the ceasefire just hours away, fighting continues in Gaza. Israeli attacks have killed at least 122 people and injured 270 others in Gaza since the deal was first announced on Wednesday, Gaza’s Civil Defense. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Israel will not continue with the ceasefire and hostage deal, set to begin on Sunday, until it receives a list of the names of hostages that Hamas will release. “We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. Hamas is solely responsible,” Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office on Saturday.