Gaza Ceasefire Begins After Hamas Shares Names of Three Hostages to Be Freed Today
Gaza Ceasefire Begins After Hamas Shares Names of Three Hostages to Be Freed Today
A Palestinian official stated that the delay was due to mediators requesting 48 hours of "calm" before implementing the ceasefire. However, continued Israeli strikes up to the deadline made it challenging to send the list.
Jerusalem:
After a delay of several hours, the Gaza ceasefire came into effect on Sunday following Hamas' release of the names of the first three Israeli hostages to be freed, halting a 15-month-old war that has caused widespread devastation and significant political change in the Middle East. Israel announced that the truce with Hamas began in Gaza at 11:15 am local time (09:15 GMT, 2:45 pm IST), nearly three hours later than initially scheduled, due to a last-minute delay ordered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During the delay, Gaza's civil defense agency reported that Israel's military continued strikes on Palestinian territory, causing casualties. The Israeli military confirmed it was "continuing to strike within the Gaza area" following Netanyahu's directive.
Casualties Before Ceasefire
Palestinian medics reported that Israeli airstrikes and artillery attacks killed 13 Palestinians between 8:30 am local time—when the ceasefire was originally set to begin—and 11:15 am when it was actually enforced.
Delay in Implementation
Less than an hour before the scheduled start of the truce, Netanyahu's office stated that the ceasefire "would not begin until Israel had received the list" of hostages to be freed. Hamas attributed the delay to "technical reasons," the "complexities of the field situation," and "continued bombing." Eventually, Hamas published the names of three Israeli women to be released nearly three hours after the initial deadline.
A Palestinian official familiar with the situation told Reuters that mediators had requested 48 hours of "calm" before the ceasefire could be implemented. However, continued Israeli strikes up to the deadline complicated the process of sending the list.
Approximately two hours after the deadline, Israel confirmed receipt of the list and began verifying its details. Shortly afterward, the truce officially began at 11:15 am local time.
The hostages named by Hamas for release on Sunday were identified as Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari.
Israel-Hamas WarThe ceasefire deal offers hope for ending the Gaza war, which began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people. Israel's response devastated much of Gaza and resulted in nearly 47,000 Palestinian deaths.
The conflict escalated tensions throughout the Middle East, pitting Israel against Iran, which supports Hamas and other paramilitary forces such as Hezbollah.
Details of the TruceMediated by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, the truce is based on a three-phase agreement reached after months of negotiations. The first phase, lasting six weeks, involves the release of 33 hostages—women, children, men over 50, and the ill or wounded—in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
The prisoners to be freed include 737 individuals, among them members of militant groups convicted of attacks that killed Israelis, as well as Palestinians detained since the war began.
The initial release involves three female hostages handed over to the Red Cross on Sunday. For each hostage freed, Israel will release 30 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has committed to informing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of the meeting point within Gaza, from where the ICRC will collect the hostages.
More News
Comentários