The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8.30am local time (2.30pm Singapore time) on Sunday.

The truce is intended to end more than 15 months of fighting and devastating bombardment.

During an initial 42-day ceasefire, Palestinian militant groups will hand over 33 hostages, three of them on Sunday, and Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some of whom will be deported.

Since mediators Qatar and the United States, which brokered the deal along with Egypt, announced the details on Wednesday, Israeli strikes on Gaza have continued.

On Saturday, Gaza’s civil defence rescue agency said at least five members of one family were killed when a strike hit their tent in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza.

Explosions were heard over Jerusalem as Yemen’s Huthi rebels launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in a show of support for the Palestinians ahead of the truce.

The Huthis said they targeted the defence ministry in Tel Aviv and also fired two missiles at the Red Sea port city of Eilat.

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.

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