HE Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi discussed with President of the International Committee of the

Mughrabi and James Mackenzie JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Reuters) -A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip took effect on Sunday after a nearly three-hour delay, pausing a 15-month-old war that has brought devastation and seismic political change to the Middle East.

A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has come into effect after a nearly three-hour delay from its original deadline.

First phase of deal includes Palestinian detainees’ release in exchange for hostages, with Israeli forces expected to withdraw in 2nd stage and finally, Gaza’s rebuilding in 3rd phase.

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassim Al-Budaiwi, discussed cooperation in humanitarian and relief fields with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mirjana Spoljaric Egger.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is set to begin shortly. However, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the ceasefire will not begin until Tel Aviv gets a list of the hostages set to be released.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect on Sunday morning. Hostages held in the strip and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails will be freed in the first phase of the deal. Meanwhile,

The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire should see a total of 33 hostages returned from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released.

By Mohammed Salem, Nidal al-Mughrabi and James Mackenzie GAZA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Palestinians poured into the streets to celebrate and headed back to the rubble of their bombed-out homes on Sunday,

Hamas released three Israeli hostages and Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, on the first day of a ceasefire suspending a 15-month-old war that has devastated the Gaza Strip and inflamed the Middle East.

Red Cross aid workers in Gaza are preparing for a special operation ahead of the release of hostages held by Hamas. The current operation is not comparable with past experience as the process may take around 15 months,