GAZA -- A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect in the Gaza Strip at 12:00 noon local time (0900 GMT) on Friday, according to sources.
The Israeli army confirmed in a brief statement that the truce had taken effect, while local eyewitnesses said calm prevailed across most areas of the coastal enclave following the announcement, marking the beginning of the implementation of the deal reached after weeks of negotiations mediated by Egypt and other international parties.
