The commencement of a ceasefire in Gaza has been delayed, with Israeli Merkava tanks deployed on Al-Rashid Coastal Road to prevent Palestinians from re-entering Gaza City, according to a report at 2:07 PM UTC. Israeli officials deny the ceasefire is in effect, stating it will begin only after approval by the Israeli Political & Security Cabinet later tonight. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for an immediate halt to the fire in Gaza without waiting for the agreement's signing. Earlier reports suggested a ceasefire would begin at 12:00 PM EEST, but Israeli tanks opened fire on crowds attempting to move from southern to northern Gaza, as stated by sentdefender.com. The Israeli Defense Force stated that their withdrawal would commence only after the cabinet's approval of the agreement. The Prime Minister of Israel's official X account posted a message at approximately 1:08 PM UTC, urging that Donald Trump "Give [@realDonaldTrump](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump) the Nobel Peace Prize - he deserves it! 🏅". This development follows a period where reports indicated Israeli army units were preparing for withdrawal from Gaza and the Prison Service was awaiting a list of security prisoners for release. Saudi Arabia had previously welcomed the agreement and praised President Trump's role, expressing hope for an eased humanitarian crisis and a two-state solution. The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas officially took effect on October 9th, 2025, at 11:05 AM UTC, according to previous announcements.