Gaza - Moussa Abu Marzouk, a Hamas senior official told Al Jazeera on Wednesday that the ceasefire in Gaza will begin Thursday at 10:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT).

Palestinian people are seen on their way from Gaza City toward the south, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Nov. 18, 2023. (Photo/Rizek Abdeljawad, Xinhua)

A Palestinian source, who requested to remain anonymous, confirmed to Xinhua that "the news is true."

Abu Marzouk said the majority of the 50 captives to be released during the ceasefire are foreign nationals.

Israel and Hamas on Wednesday confirmed their agreement on a Qatar-mediated proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Under the deal, at least 50 hostages, mainly children and women, would be freed for the release of about 150 female and teen Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons, said the statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.

The hostages will be released in smaller groups over a span of four days, during which "there will be a pause in the fighting," it said.