A four-day Gaza ceasefire, initially delayed, is set to start on Friday, offering potential relief to both Palestinians enduring bombardment and Israeli families whose kin were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7.
The cease-fire was originally set to begin Thursday morning, but it appeared to hit a snag when Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced a one-day delay without providing a reason.
On Thursday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari announced the cease-fire will start at 7 am local time Friday (around 10.30 am IST). This came about after the Israeli Cabinet’s approval of a ceasefire with Hamas that would bring a temporary halt to the devastating war that is now in its seventh week.
The Israeli government said that under an outline of the deal, Hamas is to free at least 50 of the roughly 240 hostages. The deal came after Israel, the US, and Qatar negotiated for weeks over a hostage release that would be paired with a temporary cease-fire in Gaza and the entry of more humanitarian aid.
Here’s what’s happening in the war:
- On Thursday, the Qatari spokesperson said the two sides had exchanged lists of those to be released, and the first group of 13 women and children held by Hamas would be freed Friday afternoon.
- He did not say how many Palestinian prisoners would be freed, but officials have said three would be freed for every hostage. Increased aid for Palestinians will start to enter Gaza “as soon as possible,” al-Ansari said.
- IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warns that there may be changes amid the hostage deal with Hamas, and that the terror group will attempt to use “psychological terror” against the Israeli public. “Hamas will try to use the days of the deal and the pause in fighting to spread fear, disinformation and psychological terror,” Hagari warns.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue the war after the truce expires to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its 16-year rule in Gaza and return all the estimated 240 captives held in Gaza by Hamas and other groups.
- “We will continue it until we achieve all our goals,” Netanyahu said, adding that he had delivered the same message in a phone call to U.S. President Joe Biden. Washington has provided extensive military and diplomatic support to Israel since the start of the war.
- Under the truce deal, 50 hostages are supposed to be freed in stages, in exchange for the release of what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners. Women and children would be released first, and Israel said the truce would be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.
- The return of hostages could lift spirits in Israel, where their plight has gripped the country. Families of the hostages have staged mass demonstrations to pressure the government to bring them home. Netanyahu’s office said it notified the families of hostages listed for release Friday.
- IDF announced that its fighter jets neutralized Amar Abu Jalalah, commander of the Hamas naval forces in Khan Yunis and an additional operative in Hamas’ naval forces. Amar Abu Jalalah was a senior operative in Hamas’ naval forces and involved in directing several terror attacks by sea that were thwarted by the IDF.
(With agency inputs)