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Gaza ceasefire begins after delay, first Israel hostages to be freed

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A child carries a Palestinian flag in Gaza with ceasefire celebrations kicking off. /Bashar Taleb/AFP
A child carries a Palestinian flag in Gaza with ceasefire celebrations kicking off. /Bashar Taleb/AFP

A child carries a Palestinian flag in Gaza with ceasefire celebrations kicking off. /Bashar Taleb/AFP

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.

The spokesperson of Qatar's foreign ministry confirmed the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas had begun.

Netanyahu's office said the release of three captives held in Gaza will take place on Sunday afternoon, in return for a first group of Palestinian prisoners.

It also said four other living female hostages would be freed in seven days.

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Casualties during ceasefire delay

At least 19 people were killed and 36 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza, with 36 wounded during the truce delay, according to Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense.

One person was killed in Rafah, six people were killed in Khan Younis, nine were killed in Gaza City and three in the north, he said in a statement.

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 am 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 am local time.

The Israeli military confirmed it was continuing "to strike within the Gaza area" following Netanyahu's directive.

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.

A total of 33 hostages taken by Hamas during their 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, the deadliest in Gaza's history.

It follows a deal struck by mediators Qatar, the United States and Egypt after months of negotiations, and takes effect on the eve of Donald Trump's inauguration as U.S. president.

Displaced Palestinians make their way back to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip. /Khalil Ramzi/Reuters
Displaced Palestinians make their way back to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip. /Khalil Ramzi/Reuters

Displaced Palestinians make their way back to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip. /Khalil Ramzi/Reuters

Israeli minister resigns

In a televised address on Saturday, Netanyahu called the  42-day first phase a "temporary ceasefire" and said Israel had U.S. support to return to war if necessary.

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and two other ministers from his nationalist-religious party resigned from Netanyahu's cabinet over the ceasefire deal.

The Otzma Yehudit, or Jewish Power, party is no longer part of the ruling coalition, it said, adding it will not try to bring down the government.

In Gaza City, shortly after the deal was initially meant to go into effect, people were already celebrating, waving Palestinian flags in the street.

But as it became clear the hostilities were continuing, the joy gave way to desperation for some.

Preparations and aid

Israel has prepared reception centers 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.

The government media office in Gaza said thousands of Palestinian police officers had been deployed in the territory "as part of a government plan to maintain security and order across various governorates," adding that municipalities have started "reopening and rehabilitating streets."

"Government ministries and institutions are fully prepared to begin operations according to the government plan to ensure the swift and gradual return of normal life," it said the statement, adding that the return of displaced people will commence seven days after the ceasefire comes into effect.

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.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says it has 4,000 truckloads of humanitarian assistance ready to enter the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA said half of them carry food and flour.

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 Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Source(s): AFP
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