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.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of backing out of a cease-fire deal to release hostages and bring a pause to more than a year of fighting.

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect Sunday at 8:30 a.m. local time, mediator Qatar announced Saturday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Hamas provide a list of names of hostages to be freed on Sunday before any prisoner swap takes place.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of “reneging” on parts of the deal, under which Israel would withdraw from some areas of Gaza and obtain the return of hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is treating the ceasefire with Gaza as temporary and retains the right to continue fighting if necessary. Speaking to the nation just 12 hours before the ceasefire is due to start, he claimed that he had the support of US President-elect Donald Trump, who he said he spoke to on Wednesday.

Israel took final steps to approve a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal on Saturday in Israel, which is now expected to go into effect Sunday. Here's what to know.

Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas are expected to be freed in this phase of the ceasefire deal mediated by Qatar. In exchange, Israel will also free around 2,000 Palestinians who are currently lodged in multiple prisons.

Amer al-Sultan has been covering the war in Gaza as a reporter, but this week he became the story when nine members of his family were killed in an IDF strike two days before the Israel-Hamas ceasefire was due to begin.

Netanyahu says no Gaza truce unless hostage list released with only hours to go - The ceasefire deal was signed off by Israel’s government on Saturday morning - but attacks have continued on the Gaza

The long-awaited ceasefire and hostage release deal between the Israeli government and Hamas will take effect on Sunday, potentially signaling a new chapter in a bloody 15-month conflict that has enflamed the Middle East.