Israeli forces had previously insisted they would not stop fighting until they received these names. The ceasefire, which took effect at 11:15 a.m. local time (3:45 p.m. IST), marks a fragile first step toward bringing an end to the ongoing war.
The hostages set to be released include Romi Gonen, 24, who was abducted from the Nova music festival, Emily Damari, 28, an Israeli-British dual citizen, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The Israeli government confirmed that the families had approved the release of the names.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier expressed frustration with Hamas’ delay in providing the names, accusing the group of not fulfilling its commitment. As a result, Israel had continued its airstrikes, one of which killed at least eight people in the southern city of Khan Younis, shortly after the ceasefire’s intended start time.
Hamas attributed the delay to “technical field reasons,” but reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire agreement. On the Israeli political front, the hard-line National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s party, Jewish Power, resigned from the Cabinet in protest against the ceasefire. This departure weakens Netanyahu’s coalition but does not affect the ceasefire itself.
The ceasefire, which is the second of its kind during the 15-month war, was reached after a year of intensive mediation by the US, Qatar, and Egypt. It will allow 33 hostages to return from Gaza and see the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces will withdraw into a buffer zone inside Gaza, and aid is expected to pour into the devastated region.
As part of the ongoing negotiations, the next phase of the ceasefire will focus on how to free the remaining hostages and ensure a long-term resolution. In Gaza, celebrations erupted as Palestinians returned to their homes, while in Israel, reactions were more cautious.
