Sun Jan 19 10:28:48 UTC 2025: ## Gaza Ceasefire Takes Effect After Delay, Hostages to be Released
**GAZA CITY/JERUSALEM** – A long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza came into effect at 11:15 am local time (09:15 GMT) on Sunday, nearly three hours later than scheduled, following a last-minute delay orchestrated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The delay, which saw continued Israeli airstrikes that killed 13 Palestinians, was attributed to a hold-up in receiving the list of hostages to be released by Hamas.
Hamas eventually released the names of the first three Israeli hostages to be freed: Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari. These women are expected to be transferred via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The delay, according to sources, stemmed from both technical difficulties on Hamas’s end and continued Israeli strikes, despite calls for a 48-hour period of calm before the ceasefire. A Palestinian official cited mediators requesting this period of calm, which was not honored by Israel.
The ceasefire marks a pause in a devastating 15-month war that began on October 7, 2023, after a surprise Hamas attack on Israel. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and nearly 47,000 Palestinians, leaving Gaza largely in ruins. The war has also triggered wider regional tensions between Israel and Iran, which supports Hamas.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, is a three-phase deal. The first six-week phase involves the release of 33 Israeli hostages – women, children, men over 50, the ill, and the wounded – in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. For every one of the first three released hostages, 30 Palestinian prisoners will be freed. Subsequent phases will be determined following the implementation of the initial agreement. The deal comes on the eve of a significant political transition in the US.
First Piper 