On Friday, Mrs Damari lit the Shabbat candles to mark the start of the Jewish sabbath. Behind the candles a picture of her daughter with a British flag at the side of the picture. Her prayers: that this would be the last Shabbat Emily would be held as a hostage.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military not to begin the ceasefire in Gaza, scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT), until Hamas issued the names of the hostages to be released,

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the ceasefire in Gaza will not begin until Hamas provides the names of the three hostages it is set to release later on Sunday in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners.

Israel’s government approved a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, paving the way for the agreement to take effect Sunday and potentially signalling a new chapter in a bloody 15-month conflict that has enflamed the Middle East.

A ceasefire, hostage and prisoners deal endorsed by Israel and Hamas came into effect Sunday after a three-hour delay.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed that a deal has been agreed upon with Hamas to release the hostages held in Gaza. Follow for live news updates.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is set to begin on Sunday, pausing the devastating 15-month war between Israel and the militant Hamas group in the Gaza Strip

Under the deal, bitterly opposed by some cabinet hardliners, a six-week ceasefire is due to take effect on Sunday, with the first of a series of hostage-for-prisoner exchanges that could open the way to ending the 15-month war in Gaza.