Thousands of Israelis gathered on Saturday night across the country, on the eve of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, to demand from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he not resume the war until the last of the 98 kidnapped individuals who remain captive is back home.

Police thwart attack at Kalandiya crossing in West Bank • Israeli public split on war achievements • Israeli government approves hostage deal

The truce between Israel and Hamas was set to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time. The first Israeli hostages were to be released hours later in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, plans to be a near-constant presence in the region in an attempt to prevent the deal from unraveling.

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.

Netanyahu said he would convene his security Cabinet later Friday, and then the government to approve the long-awaited hostage deal.

Officials now say they are closer than ever to reaching an agreement to pause the Israel-Hamas war and release hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli police said that an assailant stabbed and seriously wounded a person in the centre of commercial hub Tel Aviv on Saturday, before being shot and "neutralised" by a civilian. "An armed civilian nearby shot and neutralised" the attacker.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, multiple officials announced Wednesday, raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies.

At least eight killed in Gaza airstrikes as ceasefire delayed over hostage list dispute - The ceasefire deal was signed off by Israel’s government on Saturday morning - but attacks have continued on t

Israeli PM Netanyahu said Hamas had not lived up to its commitment to provide the names of the three hostages it was set to release later on Sunday in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners.