The Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement came into effect at 11:15 a.m. local time (10:15 CEST) on Sunday, after a delay of several hours. There was celebration in the streets. Displaced Palestinians are returning to their destroyed homes.
The ceasefire was originally scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. local time (07:30 CEST) but was postponed after Israel accused Hamas of delaying the release of a list of Israeli hostages to be released on Sunday.
Hamas said it had already provided a list of three Israeli female hostages to be released today.
Qatar, one of the mediators in the talks, has officially launched the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
With the ceasefire taking effect according to the timeframe announced by the mediators, 95 aid trucks entered the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
The far-right Otzma Yehudit party led by Itamar Ben Gvir announced its withdrawal from the Israeli government over the agreement with Hamas, Israeli media reported.
The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is expected to end Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023, and has killed nearly 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 110,700, AA writes.
(photo credit: Courtesy Jennifer Jaser)
