Ceasefire takes effect in Gaza almost three hours late

After 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas providing for the release of Israeli hostages, three women from Sunday, came into force almost three hours late.

The delay was due to the fact that Hamas had not provided the list of hostages to be released during the day before 8:30 a.m., the initial time for the implementation of the agreement, which comes on the eve of the return to Donald Trump’s White House.

This agreement reached on Wednesday raises hopes for lasting peace in the Palestinian territory, even if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that his army could take up arms again.

Even before the truce came into effect, thousands of displaced Palestinians responsible for their affairs took the road, amid the destruction, to return to their homes, in the north or south of the devastated Gaza Strip, according to images from AFP.

On board vans or on foot, some all smiles make the V for victory, others share sweets or brandish the Palestinian flag.

In Jabalia in the far north of Gaza, the scene of an intense Israeli military operation since October, residents discover an apocalyptic landscape of rubble.

3 hour delay

The guns were supposed to fall silent at 8:30 a.m., but citing the delay by Hamas, Israel delayed its application and carried out new strikes in Gaza which left eight dead according to local Civil Defense.

Hamas then announced that it had published the names of the three Israeli women released during the day, after justifying its delay by complications on the ground and continued bombing.

And Mr. Netanyahu’s office immediately announced the entry into force of the ceasefire at 11:15 a.m., subsequently confirmed by the Qatari mediator.

According to Doha, the list of hostages released on Sunday includes the names of three Israeli citizens, one of whom is (also) of Romanian nationality and the other of British nationality.

Achieved on Wednesday by the mediators – Qatar, United States, Egypt – the agreement ultimately aims, according to Doha, to lead to the definitive end of the war, triggered by the bloody attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023.

Netanyahu keeps the door to war open

But Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Saturday that it was of a temporary ceasefire and that his country kept itself the right to resume the war if necessary and with the support of the United States.

Hostile to the truce, the party of Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir (far-right) announced that it was leaving Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition, which nevertheless still enjoys a majority in Parliament.

Hostages and prisoners released

Under the terms of the agreement, hostilities must cease and 33 Israeli hostages must be released, in a first phase spread over six weeks.

In return, Israel said it would release 737 Palestinian prisoners.

Three reception points for Israeli hostages have been set up on Israel’s southern border with Gaza, a military official said. The captives will be taken care of by doctors.

Two Franco-Israelis, Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Ohad Yahalomi, 50, are among the 33 hostages who can be released, according to Paris. They were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with several of their children, released during an initial one-week truce in November 2023.

When they cross the (Gaza) border and are reunited with their families, then maybe we can breathe againShahar Mor Zahiro, nephew of a deceased hostage, told AFP on Saturday evening.

Israel designated 95 Palestinian detainees for release on Sunday, the majority women and minors, most of them arrested after October 7. their release must take place after 4 p.m.

Among the prisoners expected to be released is Zakaria al-Zoubeidi, responsible for anti-Israeli attacks and former local leader of the armed wing of Fatah, arrested and imprisoned in 2019.

First phase

According to US President Joe Biden, the first phase of the agreement also includes an Israeli withdrawal from densely populated areas in Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid in the territory threatened by famine according to the UN.

The Egyptian authorities clarified that the agreement provided for the entry of 600 aid trucks per day.

During the first phase, the modalities of the second will be negotiated, which should allow the release of the last hostages, before the third and final stage devoted to the reconstruction of Gaza and the restitution of the bodies of hostages who died in captivity.

The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people on the Israeli side, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count based on official data. Of the 251 people kidnapped that day, 94 are still hostages in Gaza, 34 of whom are dead according to the Israeli army.

At least 46,899 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Israeli retaliatory offensive in Gaza, according to data from the Hamas Health Ministry deemed reliable by the UN.

Considerably weakened, Hamas, which took power in Gaza in 2007, is however still far from being wiped out, contrary to the objective set by Benjamin Netanyahu, according to experts.