The long awaited Hamas-Israel ceasefire agreement finally began on Sunday, January 19, at 09:15 GMT (2:45 pm IST), nearly three hours later than initially scheduled following a last-minute delay ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Red Cross delegation to receive Palestinian prisoners, Israel gets 3 hostages
A Red Cross delegation has entered Ofer Prison under tight security to receive Palestinian prisoners set to be released as part of a deal, sources told Al Jazeera Arabic.
Under the agreement, a total of 90 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, will be freed in exchange for three captives held in Gaza.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet have issued a joint statement confirming that the three captives are being transferred to Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip by the Red Cross. Upon their return to Israeli territory, the captives will be escorted by Israeli special forces and will undergo initial medical evaluations.
There is a huge crowd, with many people holding up phones and filming. There is a large number of armed men with green Hamas headbands nearby, apparently to secure the vehicles.
Mediated by Qatar
The ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, is the first significant step toward ending the one-year-plus conflict that began with the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al Ansari confirmed that the Hamas-Israel ceasefire has officially begun as a list of three hostages to be released that day has been handed over to Israel. “Regarding reports when the ceasefire will begin in Gaza, we confirm that the names of the 3 hostages to be released today have been handed over to the Israeli side. They are three Israeli citizens, one of whom is of Romanian nationality and the other of British nationality, and thus the ceasefire has begun,” Al-Ansari said in a post on X, Xinhua news agency reported.
Under the agreement deals, nearly 100 people captured by Hamas are slated to be released in stages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.
The conflict has devastated affected Gaza with major infrastructure destroyed and thousands of families displaced. The truce offers a glimmer of hope for respite, though the doubts are uncertain how long it will last.
First trucks carrying aid arrive in Gaza: UN
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid reportedly entered Gaza on Sunday after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, according to the United Nations.
The interim chief of the UN’s OCHA aid agency for the Palestinian territories, Jonathan Whittall confirmed that the first trucks began entering Gaza shortly after the truce started.
“A massive effort has been underway over the past days from humanitarian partners to load and prepare to distribute a surge of aid across all of Gaza.” he added
Though the UN did not specify the entry points, an anonymous Egyptian source revealed that “197 trucks of aid and five of fuel entered through the crossing of Kerem Shalom between Israel and Gaza and that of al-Oga” and Nitzana between Egypt and Israel.
Hamas awaits prisoner list
Hamas said it was still expecting the first list of 90 prisoners to be released by Israel on the first day of the ceasefire. The exchange has become a key component of the deal and is considered to be the main indication of whether the ceasefire will last.
As a mediator, Qatar announced some of the first detainees to be freed have foreign citizenship, but it did not reveal their nationalities.
As ceasefire delayed, Israel strikes again
According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, before the ceasefire implementation, seven Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack.
Meanwhile, celebrations erupted across the war-ravaged territory and some displaced Palestinians began returning to their homes despite the delay.
On the other hand, cabinet ministers of the far-right party of Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir submitted a resignation letter on early Sunday morning to oppose the ceasefire. Ben-Gvir’s party has demanded to continue the bombing of Hamas targets until it is annihilated.
Over 1,890 Palestinian prisoners to be released
Over 1,890 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages in the first phase of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire agreement, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced late Saturday night, January 18.
In an official statement, the ministry said that the Palestinian prisoners would be freed during the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire which is set to begin at 0630 GMT (12:00 pm IST) on Sunday, January 19, Emirates News Agency WAM reported.
According to the ceasefire agreement, Israel will gradually release the Palestinian prisoners including 1,167 residents detained from Gaza. In return, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages.
The Israeli Ministry of Justice has also released a list of 95 Palestinian women and children set to be released if the implementation of the ceasefire deal begins.
Israeli forces will pull back from many areas in Gaza allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to what’s left of their homes.
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