Sun Jan 19 09:18:51 UTC 2025: ## Hamas Releases Names of Hostages, Gaza Ceasefire Delayed
**GAZA CITY/JERUSALEM** – A planned ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has been delayed after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested the names of three hostages Hamas pledged to release as part of a prisoner exchange deal. Hamas subsequently released the names of three Israeli women, paving the way for the potential end to the conflict, though the ceasefire remains officially unimplemented.
The delay occurred just an hour before the scheduled 6:30 AM GMT deadline on Sunday. The agreement stipulates a phased release of hostages, with the initial release of three women announced by Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades.
Israel simultaneously published its list of 33 hostages to be released by Hamas in the first phase of the deal, a list that includes children, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities. This release is scheduled to occur over 42 days, beginning with three hostages on the first day following the ceasefire’s official implementation, followed by four on day seven, and then three per week for the subsequent four weeks. The remaining 14 hostages will be released in the sixth week.
Notable among the Israeli hostages is Kfir Bibas, who was abducted at nine months old and has become a symbol of the conflict. The full list of Israeli hostages includes a range of ages and genders.
The delayed ceasefire, if implemented, would mark a significant turning point in one of the most devastating conflicts in the Middle East in recent years. The situation remains tense, with the implementation of the ceasefire hanging on the finalization of the hostage exchange.
First Piper 