China welcomed on Thursday a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas. China hopes that the agreement can be effectively implemented to achieve a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Foreign Minister spokesman Guo Jiakun told a daily news briefing.

China welcomes the Gaza ceasefire agreement and hopes that this agreement will be implemented effectively and that there will be a full and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

A Gaza ceasefire deal endorsed by Israel and Hamas was delayed from going into effect Sunday after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the militant group had yet to provide the names of the hostages it planned to release under the truce agreement.