Gaza ceasefire kicks in as Hamas names 3 hostages to be freed today

The Gaza ceasefire came into force on Sunday (January 19) after a nearly three-hour delay with Hamas releasing the names of the first three Israeli hostages to be freed.

Israel said a truce with Hamas began in Gaza at 09:15 GMT (2:45 pm IST) following a last-minute delay on the orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The truce was earlier postponed after Hamas did not name the three hostages it plans to release later on Sunday.

“Israel vowed to keep fighting until it received the names, which were posted on social media by Hamas’ armed wing around two hours later,” said an AP report.

Also read: Gaza truce begins tomorrow; 33 Israelis, 700 Palestinians to be freed

Israel's PMO said the release of three hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would take place after 1400 GMT (7:30 pm IST) on Sunday. In a statement, Netanyahu's office said four other “living female hostages” would be freed in seven days.

First phase of truce

The planned ceasefire, agreed after a year of intensive mediation by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, is the first step in a long and fragile process aimed at winding down the 15-month war.

The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire would witness the return a total of 33 Israeli hostages from Gaza and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Negotiations on the far more difficult second phase of this ceasefire should begin in just over two weeks. Questions are now being raised 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.

Also read: Hamas to free 33 Israeli hostages in truce deal to end Gaza war

About the hostages

However, there was no immediate comment from Israel after Hamas’ armed wing posted the names of the three female hostages on social media. Hamas has reportedly named the hostages it was to release on Sunday as Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari.

The families of Damari and Steinbrecher have confirmed that the two women are expected to be released today, said a report in The Times of Israel.

Earlier, the family of Romi Gonen said that she was on the list of three civilian women who were due to be released by the terror group.

Damari, a dual UK citizen, and Steinbrecher were both taken hostage from their homes in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7, 2023. Damari was shot and injured by terrorists. Romi was taken by militants from the Nova music festival.

Damari and Steinbrecher lived in the kibbutz’s “young generation” neighbourhood, where out of the 37 residents, 11 people were murdered and seven were kidnapped and taken to Gaza Strip.

Also read: India welcomes Gaza ceasefire, hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas

Celebrations break out

Meanwhile, celebrations broke out across the war-ravaged territory, and some Palestinians began returning to their homes, even as the delay underscored the fragility of the agreement, said the report.

The deal sets in motion a long and uncertain process aimed at ultimately ending the war and returning nearly 100 hostages abducted in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that triggered it.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas had not lived up to its commitment to provide the names of the three hostages it was set to release in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners. In a statement issued less than an hour before the truce had been set to start, Netanyahu's office said he had "instructed the IDF (military) that the ceasefire... will not begin until Israel has received the list" of hostages to be freed.

Delay triggers attack

Earlier, the Israeli army continued its offensive in Gaza following the delay in Hamas releasing the names of the three hostages to be freed. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the top Israeli military spokesman, said the army “continues to attack, even now, inside the Gaza arena,” and would until Hamas complies with the agreement.

Also read: Israel-Hamas ceasefire: PM Netanyahu to convene Cabinet meeting

As per AP report, the military later said it had struck a number of militant targets in northern and central Gaza. An Israeli airstrike killed at least eight people in the southern city of Khan Younis after the ceasefire was delayed. Nasser Hospital confirmed the casualties from Sunday’s strike, which it said had occurred around two hours after the truce was supposed to take effect.

A Palestinian official familiar with the matter told Reuters the delay occurred because mediators had asked for 48 hours of “calm” before the ceasefire's implementation, but continued Israeli strikes right up until the deadline had made it difficult to send the list.

Hamas had earlier 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.