The Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza, which was expected to come into effect on Sunday, has been delayed. The Israeli military said it “continues to attack” inside the Gaza Strip as a dispute with Hamas delayed the start of a planned ceasefire.
According to Reuters, Palestinian medics said eight people were killed shortly after Israel and Hamas missed a deadline for a ceasefire that could pave the way for halting the Middle East's most devastating conflict in years.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Sunday that the ceasefire in Gaza will not begin until Hamas provides the names of the three hostages it is set to release later on Sunday in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners.
Netanyahu's demand for a list of the first three hostages, who were to be released in the hours following the ceasefire, came an hour before the deadline.
He reportedly said he had instructed the military that the ceasefire “will not begin until Israel has in its possession the list of hostages to be freed, which Hamas committed to provide.”
Meanwhile, an Israeli official posted on X, “𝗔𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.”
Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on “technical field reasons.” It said in a statement that it is committed to the ceasefire deal announced last week. Hamas assured that the hostages' names could be released very soon.
An Israeli official said mediators have provided assurances that the list will be delivered and the deal is still expected to go forward, though the timing remains in question. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing efforts to resolve the matter.
The planned ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was agreed after a year of intensive mediation by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. It is said to be the first step in a long and fragile process aimed at ending the 15-month war.
Israel’s Cabinet approved the ceasefire early Saturday in a rare session during the Jewish Sabbath, more than two days after mediators announced the deal.
As part of the 42-day first phase of the ceasefire, 33 hostages were expected to returned from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees were to be released.
In the first phase, Israeli forces should pull back into a buffer zone inside Gaza, and many displaced Palestinians should be able to return home. The war-torn territory should also see a surge in humanitarian aid.
This is just the second ceasefire in the war, longer and more consequential than the weeklong pause over a year ago, with the potential to end the fighting for good.
Negotiations on the far more difficult second phase of this ceasefire should begin in just over two weeks. Major questions remain, including whether the war will resume after the six-week first phase and how the rest of the nearly 100 hostages in Gaza will be freed.
Palestinian residents began returning to their homes in parts of Gaza City early Sunday, even as tank shelling continued to the east, closer to the Israeli border, overnight. Families could be seen making their way back on foot, with their belongings loaded on donkey carts, residents said.
“The sound of shelling and explosions didn’t stop,” said Ahmed Matter, a Gaza City resident. He said he saw many families leaving their shelters and returning to their homes. “People are impatient. They want this madness to end," he said.
The toll of the war has been immense, and new details on its scope will now emerge.
Over 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that sparked the war killed over 1,200. Hundreds of Israeli soldiers have died.
Some 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced. The United Nations says the health system, road network and other vital infrastructure have been badly damaged. Rebuilding – if the ceasefire reaches its final phase – will take several years at least. Major questions about Gaza’s future, political and otherwise, remain unresolved.
(With inputs from agencies)
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