TUNIS, October 10. /TASS/. International forces will be deployed to the Gaza Strip to control the ceasefire on October 12, the Al Hadath television channel reported, citing a US official.

According to the official, these forces that will include the US military will control the observance of the ceasefire. US troops are expected to arrive in Gaza on Sunday morning, he said, adding that the international force will set up a military-civilian coordination center that will be tasked to organize humanitarian deliveries, address operational issues, and help ensure security. The center, in his words, will engage representatives of all countries taking part in the stabilization mission, and employees of non-governmental organizations.

The Israeli military announced on Friday that the Gaza ceasefire agreement came into effect from 9:00 a.m. GMT and the Israeli troops began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines. From this time, a 72-hour countdown started until the release of hostages held by the Palestinian movement Hamas in the embattled enclave.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said in the early hours on October 10 that the government had approved the deal for the release of hostages, both alive and dead. On October 9, US President Donald Trump stated that the Israel-Hamas talks in Egypt had yielded an agreement on the first phase of a peace plan. According to the US leader, phase one provides for the release of all hostages in the near future and the withdrawal of Israeli forces to agreed positions inside Gaza.