Israel on Saturday approved a ceasefire deal with Palestinian militant group Hamas that involves release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, and Israeli forces struck in the enclave before the agreement's scheduled start on Sunday.

Israel and Hamas finalize a historic cease-fire and hostage deal set to begin Sunday. The agreement includes phased releases, intense negotiations and ongoing security concerns.

The Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement is expected to take effect as soon as Sunday. But the most significant diplomatic breakthrough in over a year of brutal war between Israel and Hamas is rife with risks,

A team of doctors in Israel is preparing for the return of the hostages from Gaza with the expectation that many are likely to have severe, life-threatening complications from spending more than a year in captivity.

The deal is expected to begin Sunday, with the exchange of several hostages held in Gaza for a number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

The ceasefire as agreed to in Qatar is set to last 42 days. Over that period, 33 hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, there will be a slow withdrawal of the Israeli military from urban centers in Gaza and a surge of humanitarian aid.

Qatar’s foreign ministry says the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will go into effect at 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) on Sunday

CAIRO (Reuters) - Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem congratulated Palestinians on Saturday over the Gaza ceasefire deal, saying in a speech that it proved the "persistence of resistance" against Israel. The remarks were the first in public by the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group since Israel and Hamas reached the accord on Wednesday.

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

When I talked with Israeli national-security officials last year, the most realistic of them spoke of Gaza’s future as resembling the West Bank today.

Israel’s military has set up sites to receive hostages while aid groups are preparing to use the cease-fire to increase deliveries into Gaza.