Ceasefire deal ending war in Gaza reached: Egyptian president

CAIRO -- An agreement was reached on Thursday to establish a ceasefire and end the war in Gaza after two years of suffering and woes, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said.

"The world is witnessing a historic moment that embodies the triumph of the will for peace over the logic of war," al-Sisi wrote on his Facebook page.

The agreement was reached in accordance with the peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump and under the auspices of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, he added.

Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel began Monday in Egypt's resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh to negotiate a peace plan. After several days of negotiations, the two sides agreed on the "first phase" of the Trump-backed peace plan, which includes a ceasefire and the release of some hostages and prisoners, marking a major breakthrough in the two-year conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the agreement on the release of hostages would take effect only after cabinet approval. The Israeli Security Cabinet is scheduled to convene late Thursday to approve the ceasefire.

Egypt on Thursday sent a humanitarian aid convoy through the Rafah crossing, the only link between the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip, marking the first delivery since the agreement on the initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan was reached, Egypt's Al-Qahera News TV reported.

The convoy carried food supplies including rice, pasta, flour, and baby formula, along with medicines and medical equipment, according to the report.