The first phase of a long-awaited Gaza ceasefire agreement began after a delay of about three hours, with Hamas set to release three Israeli hostages later on Sunday.
The ceasefire was scheduled to begin at 08:30 (06:30 GMT), but Israel said that Hamas had not provided the names of the first hostages to be released in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas blamed “technical reasons.”
Nineteen Palestinians were reportedly killed when the Israeli army struck what it called “terrorist targets” in Gaza after the initial deadline had passed.
The ceasefire went into effect at 11:15 after Israel received the names of the hostages. The Qatari mediator said that among them were British-Israeli and Romanian-Israeli dual citizens.
A Hamas statement identified three women as Romy Gonen, 24, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a Romanian citizen, and Emily Damari, 28, the only British citizen still detained 15 months after the devastating war.
The Israeli government has not confirmed the names, however She said that the women are among 33 Israeli hostages scheduled to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. During the first six phases of the deal.
Israeli forces will also withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid trucks will be allowed to enter the area every day.
Negotiations on the second phase – which is supposed to see the release of the remaining hostages, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the “restoration of sustainable calm” – are scheduled to begin on the 16th.
The third and final phase will include the reconstruction of Gaza – which may take years – and the return of the bodies of any remaining hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Saturday evening that any ceasefire would be “temporary,” and that Israel reserves the right to resume the war, with American support, if it collapses.
The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas — which Israel, the United States and other countries classify as a terrorist organization — in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 captured. hostage.
Nearly 47,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Strip. Most of the population of 2.3 million people have been displaced, there is widespread destruction, and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter due to the struggle to get aid to those in need.
Israel says 94 hostages are still being held by Hamas, and 34 of them are presumed dead. In addition, there were three Israelis who were kidnapped before the war, one of whom died.
On Sunday morning, The Israeli army announced that special forces recovered the body of Sergeant Oron ShaulHe was an Israeli soldier who was martyred in the Gaza War in 2014.
