The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip came into force this Sunday at 11:15 local time (9:15 GMT), as confirmed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel announced this after receiving, from Hamas, the identities of the three hostages who will be released today as part of the agreement, and after having informed their respective families.
Their names were confirmed by the spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing, Abu Obeida, after Israel announced that the ceasefire (originally scheduled for 6:30 GMT) would be delayed until the Islamist group gave the names of the three hostages. . For his part, the spokesman for the Gazan Civil Defense rescue teams, Mahmud Basal, confirmed the death of at least 19 Gazans, in addition to another 36 wounded, throughout the Strip in the hours before 11:30 local time.
Who are the three hostages released this Sunday?
Hours late before the truce came into force, Hamas has finally publicly released the names of the three hostages who will be released: Romi Gonen, 24-year-old Israeli-Romanian; Emily Damari, 28 years old and British nationality, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31 years old.
Damari and Steinbrecher were kidnapped from their homes in the Kfar Aza kibbutz during the October 7 massacrewhile Gonen was kidnapped at the Nova music festivalanother of the epicenters of the attack by Palestinian militias against Israel, which triggered the Gaza war.
When will they be released and phases that follow the ceasefire
The release of these first three kidnapped women, in exchange for some 95 Palestinian prisonersis planned this afternoon starting at 4:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT). Next Sunday, four more women will be exchanged for Palestinian detainees and prisoners.
As part of the agreement with Israel, the Islamist group should have delivered yesterday, 24 hours before its release, the list with the three names, and must do this every Sunday while the exchange of hostages and Palestinians lasts.
In the first phase of the 42-day agreementIsrael and Hamas have agreed to a gradual exchange of 33 Israeli hostages for some 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, some sentenced for murder and many others in administrative detention.
On the 16th of this phase, negotiations must begin for the second stage of the truceduring which the male hostages will be released from Gaza and the foundations will be laid for the end of the war and the departure of all Israeli troops.
Last night, thousands of Israelis across the country called on Netanyahu to advance the negotiations of the second phase, and not to resume the war before all, the 94 hostages, are home.
