DUBAI, November 24. /TASS/. Hamas will stick to the principles of the ceasefire agreement as long as Israel does the same, Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas official said.

"We reiterate our commitment to the implementation of the [ceasefire] agreement as long as the enemy observes it," the Al Jazeera television channel quoted him as saying.

"Throughout the entire previous period, our brothers from Egypt and Qatar have been making colossal efforts in the diplomatic sphere to reach this agreement. On our part, we express our profound gratitude to these two countries and reiterate our readiness to continue cooperation with them," he stressed.

He also called on Russia, China, and Arab and Islamic countries to continue diplomatic efforts to help the Palestinian people. "We stress the importance of continuing [diplomatic] efforts by Arab and Islamic countries, as well as friendly countries, especially Russia and China, so that our people can implement its striving for freedom and independence," Haniyeh said.

Hamas announced on November 22 that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The agreement stipulates the release of 50 women and children under the age of 19 who are held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 women and children under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons.

According to the Arab mass media, the ceasefire came into force inn the Gaza Strip from 8:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT).