The Israeli military says it "continues to attack" inside the Gaza Strip as a dispute with Hamas delayed the start of a planned ceasefire.

This will pause the fighting after 15 months of war and see the release of dozens of hostages held by the militants in the Gaza Strip and hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Celebrations erupted across the war-ravaged territory and some Palestinians began returning to their homes in Gaza despite the delay. View on euronews

Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel is treating the ceasefire with Hamas as temporary and retains the right to continue fighting if necessary.Speaking to

Hamas remains the dominant Palestinian power in Gaza even after 15 months of Israeli bombardment, holding sway in displacement camps and refusing to surrender.

Iran ‘s top general in Syria acknowledged they were “defeated very badly” with the collapse of the Assad regime, which represented a candid assessment divergent from other messages out of Tehran since the fall of the government.

Israel’s 15-month bombardment of Gaza has destroyed much of Hamas’s military wing. It has also degraded the Iran-backed proxy network that helps sustain the militant group.

After fifteen months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, a cease-fire agreement has been reached. The deal is set to take effect on Jan. 19, just one day before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The United Nations human rights chief has called for the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Syria over its yearslong civil war, now that former leader Bashar Assad has been ousted and sent into exile.

Left: Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas react to the ceasefire announcement in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 15. Right: Palestinians celebrate the ceasefire deal in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on Jan. 15.

The deal, not yet formally announced, outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase and includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

Qatar's foreign ministry said the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will go into effect at 0630 GMT on Sunday.