Heba Press – Agencies
The entry into force of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip was postponed on Sunday after it was originally scheduled for 8:30 (6:30 GMT), because the movement did not hand over the list of hostages who would be released during the day.
Hamas confirmed “its commitment to the terms of the ceasefire agreement,” but acknowledged a delay in “delivering the names that will be released in the first batch for technical reasons on the ground.”
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced in a statement, “The Prime Minister instructed the Israeli army that the ceasefire, which was supposed to go into effect at 8:30 (Jerusalem time), will not begin until Israel obtains the list of hostages that Hamas pledged to provide.” .
Netanyahu announced on Saturday that his country reserves the right to resume fighting in Gaza with American support, pledging to return all hostages held in the Palestinian Strip to their homes.
The Prime Minister said in a televised speech, “We reserve the right to resume the war if necessary, with American support,” on the eve of the ceasefire taking effect.
Netanyahu stressed that the first phase of the agreement, which lasts 42 days, is a “temporary ceasefire.” He added, “If we are forced to resume the war, we will do so forcefully,” pointing out that Israel has “changed the face of the Middle East” since the start of the war.
The agreement stipulates, in a first phase lasting six weeks, the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza.
-In return, Israel will release 737 Palestinian detainees, the Israeli Ministry of Justice announced on Saturday.
For its part, Egypt, which plays a mediating role in the truce between Israel and Hamas, announced on Saturday that Israel will release more than 1,890 Palestinians detained in exchange for the release of 33 Israeli hostages in the first phase of the truce.
According to US President Joe Biden, the first phase also includes an Israeli withdrawal from densely populated areas in Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the sector, which the United Nations says is threatened by famine.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati announced on Saturday that “it was agreed that 600 trucks will enter Gaza daily,” including “50 fuel trucks.”
During the first phase, arrangements for the second phase will be negotiated to put “a final end to the war,” according to what Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said.
The second stage is supposed to allow the release of the remaining hostages, as Biden explained. The third and final phase will be devoted to rebuilding Gaza and returning the remains of the hostages who died during their detention.
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