Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement Begins, After 3-Hour Delay

AFP

Palestinians returning to their homes.

The ceasefire in Gaza began on Sunday, 19 January 2025, following about a 3-hour delay, as the Israeli authorities stated that Hamas had not provided them with the names of the three female hostages who were scheduled to be released today.

The AFP reported that Israel said a truce with Hamas began in Gaza at 0915 GMT, nearly three hours after initially scheduled, following a last-minute delay on the orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A statement from Netanyahu’s office, issued less than an hour before the truce had been set to start at 8:30 am (0630 GMT), said he had “instructed the IDF (military) that the ceasefire... will not begin until Israel has received the list” of hostages to be freed.

Hamas attributed the delay to “technical reasons”, as well as the “complexities of the field situation and the continued bombing”, ultimately publishing at around 10:30 a.m. the names of three Israeli women to be released on Sunday.

Israel confirmed it had received the list and was “checking the details”, before confirming shortly afterwards that the truce would begin at 11:15 a.m. local time.

AFPTV live images from northeastern Gaza showed a plume of grey smoke about 30 minutes after the truce was earlier to take effect, and again around 30 minutes later.

The Israeli military confirmed it was continuing “to strike within the Gaza area” following Netanyahu’s directive.

Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said three people were killed in the north of the territory and five in Gaza City, with 25 wounded.

AFP images showed displaced Gazans streaming northwards from areas around Gaza City where they had been sheltering, some flashing the victory sign.

But others saw their plans to return home thwarted by the delay of the ceasefire.

“I was on my way home with my family when we heard the sound of bombing,” said Mohammed Baraka, 36.

We can’t reach our house; the situation is dangerous. I don’t know what to do. I feel frustrated and devastated.”

The initial exchange was to see three Israeli hostages released from captivity in return for a first group of Palestinian prisoners.

A total of 33 hostages taken by militants during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel will be returned from Gaza during an initial 42-day truce.

Under the deal, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails.

The truce is intended to pave the way for an end to more than 15 months of war sparked by Hamas’s attack, the deadliest in Israeli history.

Long ordeal
Israel has prepared reception centres to provide medical treatment and counselling to the freed hostages before they return to their families after their long ordeal.

Israel’s justice ministry had previously said 737 Palestinian prisoners and detainees would be freed during the deal’s first phase, starting from 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday.

Egypt on Saturday said more than 1,890 Palestinian prisoners would be freed in the initial phase.

Hundreds of trucks waited at the Gaza border, poised to enter from Egypt as soon as they get the all-clear to deliver desperately needed aid.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said 600 trucks a day would enter Gaza after the ceasefire takes effect, including 50 carrying fuel.

There has been only one previous truce in the war, lasting for one week in November 2023.

That ceasefire also saw the release of hostages held by militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.



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