Israel, Hamas ceasefire and hostage release agreement delayed

The long awaited Cease fire and hostage release agreement A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which was supposed to take effect in the Middle East on Sunday morning, has been delayed, with the Israeli military accusing Hamas of not providing a list of hostages released for the first time. Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari issued a statement at the scheduled departure time of 8:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. Eastern), saying Hamas was not honoring the deal because the names of the hostages had not yet been released.

“As Prime Minister[Benjamin Netanyahu]said, the cease-fire agreement will not take effect until Hamas fulfills its commitments to the agreement. She found a partner“Any breach of the agreement will have full security implications,” he warned.

He said the Israeli army “still continues to attack inside the Gaza Strip” and will do so as long as Hamas abides by the agreement.

Hamas said the delay in handing over the names was due to “technical reasons”. In a statement, it said it remained committed to the ceasefire announced last week, but said there was no indication of how long the implementation of the agreement might be delayed.

CBS News in Gaza confirms that IDF attacks continue in both the northern and central parts of the Palestinian territory. At least three people were killed by gunfire in the north, according to initial reports, and in the devastated southern town of Rafah, IDF soldiers reportedly opened fire on people trying to return home.

Qatari Foreign Minister Majid Al-Ansari posted on X on Saturday that the cease-fire agreement will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Gaza on Sunday. He advised people to exercise caution and wait for the direction of the authorities when the agreement is implemented.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later warned that the ceasefire would not go ahead until Israel accepted the names of the hostages to be released, as agreed later.

“Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. Only Hamas is responsible,” he said in a statement.

His statement came three hours after Israel waited to receive the names, which Hamas will hand over to mediator Qatar. There was no response from Hamas or Qatar.

The prime minister told the nation 12 hours before the start of the ceasefire agreement that Israel is holding a temporary ceasefire with Gaza and reserves the right to continue fighting if necessary. He said he contacted President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday to say he had received support.

Saturday morning local time The Israeli cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement It would free dozens of hostages in Gaza and end a 15-month war with Hamas. The deal brings the two sides one step closer to completion. Deadliest and most destructive combat ever.

“We hope in the name of God that today is the last day of war,” one evacuee from southern Gaza told CBS.

How a ceasefire and a ceasefire agreement works

According to a translated version of the agreement seen by CBS News and announced by President Biden, the agreement consists of three phases, each lasting 42 days.

According to a draft seen by CBS News, Hamas would begin releasing the hostages on the first day, and return the first three to Israel. On the seventh day, Hamas releases four hostages. After that, Hamas will release three hostages taken from Israel every seven days, starting with the living and then moving on to return the bodies of the dead.

In the first phase, a total of 33 women and children, as well as hostages over the age of 50, will be released, according to the draft seen by CBS News.

Mr. Biden said on Wednesday that Americans were among the hostages released in this phase, but did not give any names or how soon they would be released.

The rest of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase of negotiations. Hamas said it would not release the remaining captives without a permanent ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal.

Eli David, the brother of Ayvatar David, who has been held hostage by Hamas since the October 7, 2023 attack, told CBS News’ Remy Inocencio that he has mixed emotions as the ceasefire approaches. Eyvatar is going to be released in the second season.

“If you have a heart, if you can feel compassion, if you know my brother, send him a message,” Eli David said in a message to Hamas. “Tell him we’re fighting for him, we love him and we really hope he comes home.”

According to the plan, in phase one, 1,900 Palestinian prisoners will be freed, including 33 Israeli hostages, both alive and dead. Among the prisoners, 1,167 are Gaza residents who were detained by Israel but did not participate in the October 7, 2023 attack. All women and children under the age of 19 detained by Israel will be freed at this stage.

The exchange will begin Sunday at 9 a.m. EST, according to the cease-fire plan approved by the Cabinet and signed by Israel’s national security adviser. During each exchange, prisoners are released in Israel after they arrive safely.

The missile attack continued while aid was on its way.

Despite news of a ceasefire, sirens sounded across Israel on Saturday, as the army said it had contained provocations from Yemen.

The Iran-backed Houthis have stepped up their missile attacks in recent weeks. The group said the attacks were part of a campaign to pressure Israel and the West over the Gaza war.

There were also the continued Israeli attacks on Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said at least 23 people had been killed in the previous day.

Also, in the first round, Israeli troops must withdraw to a one-kilometer (0.6 mile) buffer zone in Gaza along the border with Israel.

This will allow displaced Palestinians, including those in Gaza City and northern Gaza, to return to their homes. Most of Gaza’s population has been driven into huge, squat tent camps, and the Palestinians are desperate to return home, even though many have been destroyed or seriously injured by the Israeli campaign.

The largely degraded state should also see a significant increase. Humanitarian aid. Trucks loaded with aid were lined up on the Egyptian side at the Rafah border crossing into Gaza on Friday.

On Saturday, two Egyptian government ministers entered the North Sinai Peninsula to monitor the preparations for the delivery of aid and to evacuate the wounded patients, the Ministry of Health announced.

Hamas launched the war on October 7, 2023.An Israeli cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people and captured about 250. About 100 hostages remain in Gaza.

Israel has responded with brutal violence that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, with women and children accounting for more than half of the dead, though there is no distinction between civilians and militants.