This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/19/gaza-fighting-ceasefire-delay-israel-hamas-hostage-list-dispute

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Gaza ceasefire begins after three hours of delay and Israeli strikes Gaza ceasefire begins with release of three Israeli hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners
(about 2 hours later)
Hamas prepares to free three hostages as aid trucks arrive at border crossing, but fears abound over fragility of deal Hundreds of aid trucks queue to reach population that was almost entirely displaced by the war
Israel and Hamas have begun a long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza that started hours behind schedule amid growing concerns over the fragility of the deal to end 15 months of brutal war. Israel and Hamas have begun a long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza with the release of three Israeli female hostages in exchange for 90 Palestinians held in Israeli jails, in the first tentative steps to end 15 months of brutal war that has claimed almost 47,000 Palestinian lives in the coastal strip.
The truce came into force a day before the inauguration of the US president Donald Trump, who had demanded an end to the fighting in Gaza. Hamas was preparing to release three Israeli women held hostage – including the joint UK citizen Emily Damari – in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As the fighting ceased, hundreds of aid trucks queued to enter Gaza to deliver supplies to its 2.3 million residents, some 90% of whom have been displaced by the conflict, many multiple times.
Several hundred aid delivery trucks, including 20 carrying fuel, began arriving at the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing before entry into the Gaza as part of an agreed humanitarian surge for the strip’s 2.3 million residents. The halt in the fighting and the exchange of hostages for prisoners, while representing the first key hurdle in the complex ceasefire deal, was delayed for several hours amid a dispute between Israel and Hamas that underlined continuing concerns over the fragility of the agreement.
The halt to the violence, which has claimed almost 47,000 Palestinian lives, came almost three hours behind schedule after Israel said that Hamas had failed to release the names of the hostages it would be releasing on Sunday amid widespread distrust on both sides. During the delay at least 13 Palestinians were reported killed during a blitz of continuing Israeli strikes.
Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on “technical field reasons”, adding in a statement that it was committed to the ceasefire deal announced last week. The ceasefire came into force a day before the inauguration of the incoming US president, Donald Trump, who had demanded an end to the fighting in Gaza as Hamas released the women to the Red Cross in a crowded square in central Gaza City – including the joint UK-Israeli citizen Emily Damari.
Damari was released with Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, who were all violently abducted on 7 October 2023 during Hamas’s surprise assault on southern Israeli communities bordering Gaza.
In images shared by her family after her release, Damari, who lost two fingers after being shot during her abduction, is seen smiling as she hugs her mother and talks to family members by phone.
As the Israeli hostages were released, Red Cross officials were working in Israel’s Ofer prison to process the release of Palestinian prisoners.
In Gaza, thousands of Palestinians burst into the streets as the ceasefire began as others set off on foot even before the ceasefire officially took hold to visit homes from which they had been displaced.
Welcoming the truce on his final full day in office, the US president, Joe Biden, said: “After so much pain, death and loss of life, today the guns in Gaza have gone silent,” adding it now fell to the new Trump administration to implement the rest of the deal.
The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, described the release as “wonderful and long overdue”.
For his part the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, described “an incredibly moving day”, adding: “I know, we all know, that they went through hell, they are going from darkness to light, they are truly exiting slavery for freedom.”
Sunday’s exchange of hostages for prisoners was preceded by a massively scaled up effort to deliver aid to Gaza as several hundred aid delivery trucks began arriving at the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing.
According to the UN aid official Jonathan Whittall, the interim chief of the UN’s OCHA aid agency for the Palestinian territories, the first trucks began entering Gaza within minutes of the ceasefire beginning.
“A massive effort has been underway over the past days from humanitarian partners to load and prepare to distribute a surge of aid across all of Gaza,” Whittall said in a post on X.
The halt to the violence, which has claimed almost 47,000 Palestinian lives, came almost three hours behind schedule after Israel said that Hamas had failed to release the names of the hostages it would be releasing on Sunday, amid widespread distrust on both sides.
Underlining those concerns, Hamas called on international mediators to ensure Israel’s compliance with the deal, saying any violations could endanger the process.
Israel continued to strike Gaza up until the ceasefire finally came into effect at 11.15am local time (9.15am GMT), when Hamas posted the names of the three hostages on its social media channels. The challenges facing the complex, phased agreement were starkly apparent.Israel continued to strike Gaza up until the ceasefire finally came into effect at 11.15am local time (9.15am GMT), when Hamas posted the names of the three hostages on its social media channels. The challenges facing the complex, phased agreement were starkly apparent.
The first three hostages to be released were named as Damari, 28, Romi Gonen, 24, and Doren Steinbrecher, 31, who were all abducted on 7 October 2023 during Hamas’s shock attack on southern Israel. Hamas had blamed the almost three hours-long delay in starting the ceasefire on issues involved handing over the names of the three women to be released on “technical field reasons”.
In Gaza, thousands of Palestinians burst into the streets as the ceasefire began.
“I feel like at last I found some water to drink after getting lost in the desert for 15 months. I feel alive again,” said Aya, a displaced woman from Gaza City, who has been sheltering in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza for more than a year.“I feel like at last I found some water to drink after getting lost in the desert for 15 months. I feel alive again,” said Aya, a displaced woman from Gaza City, who has been sheltering in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza for more than a year.
Armed Hamas fighters drove through the southern city of Khan Younis, with crowds cheering and chanting. The hostage-for-prisoner releases took place as Netanyahu faced increasing political headwinds over the deal. The far-right party led by Itamar Ben-Gvir quit his coalition in protest, and the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, was also threatening to bring down the government.
The hostage-for-prisoner releases were scheduled to take place as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, faced increasing political headwinds over the deal. The far-right party led by Itamar Ben-Gvir quit his coalition in protest, and the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, was also threatening to bring down the government.
Ben-Gvir said cabinet ministers from his party submitted their resignations from the government on Sunday in opposition to the ceasefire.Ben-Gvir said cabinet ministers from his party submitted their resignations from the government on Sunday in opposition to the ceasefire.
The departure of the Jewish Power party, while weakening Netanyahu’s coalition, will not affect the ceasefire, whose terms would remain in force even if Netanyahu’s government collapses.The departure of the Jewish Power party, while weakening Netanyahu’s coalition, will not affect the ceasefire, whose terms would remain in force even if Netanyahu’s government collapses.
The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire should mean a total of 33 hostages returning from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released.The 42-day first phase of the ceasefire should mean a total of 33 hostages returning from Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees released.
The deal also calls for Israeli forces to pull back into a buffer zone inside Gaza, and many displaced Palestinians should be able to return home.The deal also calls for Israeli forces to pull back into a buffer zone inside Gaza, and many displaced Palestinians should be able to return home.
Far more complicated, however, are likely to be negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire, which are due to begin in just over two weeks. Major questions remain, including whether the war will resume after the six-week first phase and how the rest of the nearly 100 hostages in Gaza will be freed.Far more complicated, however, are likely to be negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire, which are due to begin in just over two weeks. Major questions remain, including whether the war will resume after the six-week first phase and how the rest of the nearly 100 hostages in Gaza will be freed.
After Sunday’s hostage release, according to the lead US negotiator, Brett McGurk, the accord calls for four more female hostages to be freed after seven days, followed by the release of three further hostages every seven days thereafter. Despite the delay, the day had begun with Israeli forces starting to withdraw from areas in the Gazan city of Rafah to the Philadelphi corridor along the border between Egypt and Gaza.
The Hamas-run civil defence agency said eight people had been killed in the Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip during the hours after the ceasefire was supposed to take effect.
Israeli forces had started withdrawing from areas in the Gazan city of Rafah to the Philadelphi corridor along the border between Egypt and Gaza, pro-Hamas media reported early on Sunday.
Israel’s military warned Gaza residents not to approach its troops or move around the Palestinian territory before the ceasefire deadline, adding when movement is allowed “a statement and instructions will be issued on safe transit methods”.
The three-stage ceasefire agreement followed months of on-off negotiations brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, and came just before the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on Monday.The three-stage ceasefire agreement followed months of on-off negotiations brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, and came just before the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on Monday.
During the first phase the Israeli army will pull back from some of its positions in Gaza, and Palestinians displaced from areas in northern Gaza will be allowed to return.During the first phase the Israeli army will pull back from some of its positions in Gaza, and Palestinians displaced from areas in northern Gaza will be allowed to return.
The US president, Joe Biden’s team worked closely with Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to push the deal over the line. Biden’s team worked closely with Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to push the deal over the line.
As his inauguration approached, Trump had repeated his demand that a deal be done swiftly, warning repeatedly that there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages were not released.As his inauguration approached, Trump had repeated his demand that a deal be done swiftly, warning repeatedly that there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages were not released.
But what will come next in Gaza remains unclear, in the absence of a comprehensive agreement on the postwar future of the territory, which will require billions of dollars and years of work to rebuild.But what will come next in Gaza remains unclear, in the absence of a comprehensive agreement on the postwar future of the territory, which will require billions of dollars and years of work to rebuild.
And although the stated aim of the ceasefire is to end the war entirely, it could easily unravel. The war between Israel and Hamas began after the militants stormed Israeli towns and villages on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages.
Hamas, which has controlled Gaza for almost two decades, has survived despite losing its top leadership and thousands of fighters.
Israel has vowed it will not allow Hamas to return to power and has cleared large stretches of ground inside Gaza, in a step widely seen as a move towards creating a buffer zone that will allow its troops to act freely against threats in the territory.
In Israel, the return of the hostages may ease some of the public anger against Netanyahu and his rightwing government over the 7 October security failure that led to the deadliest single day in the country’s history.