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A planned ceasefire in Gaza has been delayed due to a dispute between Israel and Hamas over the handover of hostages, with the Israeli military continuing its operations inside the Gaza Strip. The truce, which was scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. local time, hinges on Hamas providing the names of three hostages it has promised to release later Sunday.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, Israel’s chief military spokesperson, confirmed the delay, stating that the ceasefire would not commence until Israel receives the hostages’ list. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed this demand, emphasizing that the truce would be contingent on Hamas fulfilling its commitment to hand over the list of hostages.
Hamas, in turn, blamed the delay on “technical field reasons” and reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire deal. The truce was brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt after months of indirect negotiations. It was meant to halt the fighting that has persisted for over 15 months, allowing for the release of hostages held by both sides.
The original ceasefire deal was struck after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and took some 250 hostages. In retaliation, Israel launched an offensive that has claimed more than 46,000 Palestinian lives, according to local health officials, who report that women and children account for over half of the casualties.
Despite the delay, Israeli officials have expressed confidence that the ceasefire will eventually go forward, as mediators continue to assure them that Hamas will provide the list of hostages as agreed.
In a related development, Israeli forces also announced they had recovered the body of Oron Shaul, an Israeli soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza conflict. His remains had been held by Hamas for nearly a decade.
