A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has taken effect following an almost three-hour delay after Hamas was late to name the three hostage it plans to release.

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has taken effect following an almost three-hour delay after Hamas was late to name the three hostage it plans to release. The announcement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the ceasefire began at 11:15 a.

TEL AVIV, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a "last minute crisis" with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited agreement to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes meanwhile killed dozens of people across the war-ravaged territory.

The Israeli cabinet will meet to give approval to a deal with Hamas for a ceasefire in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

Netanyahu's office said Thursday his Cabinet won't meet to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas backs down from what it called a "last minute crisis."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the cease-fire would not begin until Hamas provides the names of the three hostages it was set to release later Sunday in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a “last-minute crisis” with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory.

A long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza began after a three-hour delay as Hamas named the three female hostages it plans to free later on Sunday.

Gaza ceasefire deal begins as British citizen among first hostages set for release - The ceasefire deal was signed off by Israel’s government on Saturday morning - but attacks have continued on the Ga

Three Israeli hostages released from Gaza have been handed over to Israeli forces there in the first test of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took hold in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, ushering in an initial six-week period of calm and raising hopes for the release of dozens of militant-held hostages and an end to a devastating 15-month conflict.