The first phase of the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire agreement has begun after a nearly three-hour delay, with Hamas set to release three Israeli hostages later on Sunday.
The ceasefire was scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. (6:30 p.m. Japan time), but Israel said Hamas had not given it the name of the first hostage to be released in exchange for a Palestinian prisoner. Hamas blamed “technical reasons”.
After the initial deadline passed, Israeli forces reportedly attacked so-called “terror targets” in the Gaza Strip, killing 19 Palestinians.
The ceasefire finally took effect at 11:15, after Israel received the names of the hostages. Mediator Qatar said dual British-Israeli and Romanian-Israeli nationals were also included.
Hamas said in a statement that the three women, Romanian Romi Gonen, 24, and Romanian Doron Steinbrecher, 31, remain in captivity after a devastating 15-month war. Emily Damari, 28, was identified as the only British citizen present.
The Israeli government, which has not released their names, said the women were among 33 Israeli hostages to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners during the first six weeks of the deal. .
Israeli troops will also be withdrawn from populated areas of the Strip, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to their homes, and hundreds of aid trucks will be allowed into the Strip each day.
Negotiations for the second phase are scheduled to begin on the 16th, calling for the release of the remaining hostages, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the “restoration of sustainable peace.”
The third and final phase involves rebuilding Gaza, which could take years, and returning the remains of the remaining hostages.
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that any ceasefire would be “temporary” and that if it breaks down, Israel reserves the right to resume the war with US support.
The Israeli military is determined to annihilate Hamas, which is banned as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and others, following an unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023 that killed approximately 1,200 people and captured 251. The operation has begun. hostage.
More than 46,910 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-controlled region’s health ministry. Most of the country’s 2.3 million population has also been displaced, causing widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter as people struggle to get aid to those in need.
Israel announced that 94 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas, and 34 of them are presumed dead. In addition, three Israelis were abducted before the war, one of whom died.
On Sunday morning, the Israeli military announced that special forces had recovered the body of Sergeant Oron Shor, an Israeli soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war.
