The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is expected to come into effect at 8:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, according to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.
Qatari Foreign Minister Majid al-Ansari called on people to exercise caution when the ceasefire takes effect and wait for instructions from officials. This is the second ceasefire reached during the war.
Israel’s Cabinet early Saturday morning approved the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that would include the release of dozens of hostages and pause the war with Hamas that began after the terror group’s attack on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023 .
The deal would allow 33 hostages to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians jailed by Israel. The remaining hostages will be released in a second phase to be negotiated during the first phase.
What you need to know about the hostage and ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that starts on Sunday
The IDF has prepared to receive the hostages upon their release from Hamas captivity and is providing appropriate physical and psychological support, with careful attention to every detail.
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In addition to the agreement and our commitment to bringing all hostages home, the IDF will continue to operate to ensure the safety of all Israeli citizens, especially those in communities near the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
But questions still remain about the ceasefire, including the identities of the 33 hostages to be released during the first six-week phase and which of them are still alive.
Hamas agreed to release three female hostages on the first day of the deal, four on day seven and the remaining 26 over the next five weeks.
The Israeli Ministry of Justice has released a list of more than 700 Palestinian prisoners who will be released in the first phase of the agreement. The Justice Ministry said the release would not begin before 4pm local time on Sunday.
This is the second ceasefire reached during the war.
Israeli forces also announced on Saturday morning that their air force had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, just ahead of the expected ceasefire. Sirens sounded in accordance with protocol, but no injuries were reported as of early Saturday.
Gaza is expected to receive a sharp increase in humanitarian aid. Trucks carrying aid were lined up on Friday on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing into Gaza.
Ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and agreement on release of hostages reached: ‘Americans will be part of that’
The 15-month war in Gaza began when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping about 250 others, prompting military retaliation from the Israeli forces. Nearly a hundred hostages are still trapped in Gaza.
More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to local health officials from the Hamas-led government, who do not distinguish between civilians and terrorists.
Yael Kuriel of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original article source: The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will come into effect on Sunday morning, Qatar says
