Gaza: Historic ceasefire set to begin on Sunday amid tense exchange of hostages and prisoners

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas is set to take effect on Sunday morning at 8:30am local time, marking a pivotal step towards halting months of devastating violence.

The deal, approved late Friday by Israel's government, paves the way for an exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.

The agreement arrives after intense negotiations under global scrutiny. It promises to temporarily ease tensions following the conflict that erupted after Hamas's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

That attack claimed the lives of approximately 1,200 people in Israel, with 251 others taken to Gaza as hostages. In response, Israel launched a massive offensive in Gaza, where, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, over 46,800 Palestinians have been killed.

Amid ongoing efforts to implement the ceasefire, tensions flared again on Saturday when the Israeli military intercepted a missile launched from Yemen. The attack triggered sirens across Israel.