Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country retained the 'right to return to fighting if needed' in Gaza.

Israel will not proceed with the ceasefire deal until Hamas provides a list of hostages to be released, Netanyahu said. IDF is prepared for the hostages' release and has set up complexes near the Gaza border.

Long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is due to begin at 630am GMT on Sunday – but hostages’ families and Palestinians all fear the deal could fall at the final hurdle

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that Israel's negotiating team had finalized a deal on the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of backing out of a cease-fire deal to release hostages and bring a pause to more than a year of fighting.

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.

Israel’s Prime Minister is treating the ceasefire as temporary and said the country retained the right to continue fighting if necessary.

The cease-fire-for-hostage deal is scheduled to go into effect at 8:30 a.m. local time Sunday, Qatari officials announced earlier Saturday.

Netanyahu says US will back return to war with only hours until Gaza ceasefire - The ceasefire deal was signed off by Israel’s government on Saturday morning - but attacks have continued on the Gaza S

Hamas blamed the delay in getting a list across on "technical field reasons." It said in a statement that it is committed to the ceasefire deal announced last week.

Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel reserves the right to resume fighting Hamas if its ceasefire-for-hostages deal with the militant group falls apart — and that it would have US backing in doing so.