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The first phase of the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire deal began after a nearly three-hour delay, with Hamas set to release three Israeli hostages later on Sunday.
The ceasefire was due to begin at 08:30 (0630 GMT), but Israel said Hamas had not provided the names of the first hostages who would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas blamed the situation on “technical reasons.”
Nineteen Palestinians were reportedly killed when the Israeli military attacked what it called “terrorist targets” in Gaza after the initial deadline expired.
The ceasefire finally went into effect at 11:15, after Israel received the names of the hostages. Mediator Qatar said they included dual British-Israeli and Romanian-Israeli nationals.
A Hamas statement identified three women as Romi Gonen, 24, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a Romanian citizen, and Emily Damari, 28, who is the only British citizen still detained after 15 months of devastating war. .
The Israeli government has not confirmed the names, but He has said the women are among 33 Israeli hostages who will be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. during the first six-week phase of the agreement.
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 into the territory each day.
Negotiations for the second phase, which should allow the release of the remaining hostages, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and “the restoration of sustainable calm”, will begin on the 16th.
The third and final stage will involve rebuilding Gaza – something that could take years – and returning the bodies of the remaining hostages.
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that any ceasefire would be “temporary” and that Israel reserved the right to restart the war, with US backing, if it failed.
The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas, which is banned as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and others, in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 were kidnapped hostage.
Since then, nearly 47,000 people have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory’s Health Ministry. Most of the 2.3 million inhabitants have also been displaced, there is widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter as the struggle to get aid to those in need.
Israel says 94 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas, of whom 34 are presumed dead. Additionally, there are three Israelis who were kidnapped before the war, one of whom is dead.
On Sunday morning, The Israeli military announced that special forces had recovered the body of Sergeant Oron Shaul.an Israeli soldier who died in the 2014 war in Gaza.
