Gazan Amer al-Sultan had nine members of his family killed in Israeli air strikes in the days before the ceasefire came into effect. (ABC News)
Amer al-Sultan is showing off images of his smiling relatives on his phone.
Sitting on a bench in Deir Al-Balah, in Gaza's south, he explains who they are and where they fit on his family tree.
He stops swiping when a montage of multiple faces fills the screen.
"That's a picture of all the ones who have died," Mr Al-Sultan says. "My mother, my sister, my brother, his children and the children of my sister."
"That one is two years old," he says, pointing to his nephew, Ahmed.
On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal that many hope will bring to an end the 15-month war in Gaza.
It doesn't come into effect until 8:30am local time on Sunday (5:30pm AEDT), and the days leading up to it have been deadly for Palestinians.
Mr Al-Sultan says nine of his relatives were killed in an air-strike on the family's home in Jabalia, in Gaza's north, on Friday.Â
Israel has continued to pummel Gaza with air strikes in the lead-up to the ceasefire. (Supplied)
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) has continued its attacks in Gaza since the deal was announced. Hamas has also fired on Israel.
On Thursday, Gaza's health ministry said 81 people had been killed in Israeli attacks. It said 88 people were killed on Friday and 23 people were killed on Saturday.
Mr Al-Sultan had not seen his mother since the war began because they were in different parts of the besieged territory, and Israel's aerial bombings and ground operation means movement has been restricted for residents there.
"My mother is the pillar, she is the soul [of our family]. She is everything in this life. She was hoping that a ceasefire will bring us all together," Mr Al-Sultan said.
"I cannot believe she is gone. I cannot believe it. All night long, I was thinking it is impossible she is gone."
Amer al-Sultan's mother Ayesha, left, and nephew Ahmed were both killed in the IDF strike. (Supplied)
According to Gaza's health ministry, 46,889 people have been killed in the territory by Israeli attacks since the war began on October 7, 2023. Humanitarian organisations say millions have been displaced.
Mr Al-Sultan, 31, has been working as a journalist covering the situation.
"Among all the massacres, I had never thought my parents would be part of a terrible story. It never crossed my mind," he said.
Over the border, Israelis have reported hearing the IDF attacks on Gaza from around 50 kilometres away — something unusual over the course of the war.
"Even since they announced there would be a ceasefire agreement, we have been able to hear the Israeli bombings in Gaza," said Shahda Ibn-Bari, an Israeli lawyer living in the city of Be'er Sheva, some 40km from the away from the Gaza Strip.
"We hear it mainly at night. It's very loud."
Hostage, prisoner exchange looms
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a televised address just after 8pm local time on Saturday (4am AEDT Sunday), claiming the ceasefire was temporary and that his country could resume its attacks on Gaza in the future "if needed".
The complicated ceasefire agreement contains multiple stages.
As part of the first one, Hamas has pledged to release 33 hostages it took during its October 7 attack that sparked the war in 2023, although not all are thought to be alive.
In exchange, Israel will free 737 Palestinian prisoners from its jails. It will also release 1,167 Palestinians detained by the IDF during its ground offensive in Gaza.
While the fighting is due to stop on Sunday morning, the first exchange is not expected to take place until late afternoon when Hamas releases three female hostages — who are all civilians — and Israel frees 95 prisoners.
Under phase one of the deal, more hostages and prisoners will be released each weekend and the IDF will, eventually, dismantle its positions in Gaza and withdraw.
Many people hope Sunday's ceasefire will mean the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas is over. (Reuters: Mahmoud Issa)
It's estimated there are about 100 hostages being held in the territory, and getting them all out is expected to be a protracted process.
Israel's cabinet formally agreed to the ceasefire deal after a marathon meeting that began on Friday afternoon and extended into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Multiple opinions polls published in Israeli media in the past week claim a majority of people in the country support the ceasefire deal.
However, it has been a controversial issue within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, with right-wing ministers threatening to quit if it was accepted.
Less than 24 hours before the ceasefire was due to take effect, bombings continued in Gaza, while air-raid sirens sounded around Isael, and bangs could be heard in the skies over Jerusalem, as the country's missile defence system intercepted an attack launched from Yemen.
The IDF said it was launched by the Houthi Islamist militant group, which has been firing at Israel in solidarity with Hamas.Â
After 15 months of war, the exchanges underscored that while a ceasefire was approaching, it had not yet arrived.
Amer Al-Sultan shows what's left of his family home in Jabalia, northern Gaza. (ABC News)
It can't come quickly enough for Mr Al-Sultan, who is unable to access the site of what used to be his family home.
He's relying on people in northern Gaza to send him information.
Now, the snaps of smiling relatives on his phone are punctuated by the devastating updates.
"I received this picture from one of my colleagues in the north," Mr Al-Sultan said.
"My mother is still under the rubble, they could not pull her out."
