A fragile truce between Israel and Hamas has finally come into effect after 15 months of relentless warfare.
The truce was pushed back by several hours on Sunday after intense last-minute negotiations and the near-collapse of the deal just hours before its implementation.
21
British hostage Emily Damari will be freed today Credit: Charity Day
21
Romi Gonen, 23, is also due to be releasedCredit: Reuters
21
Doron Steinbrecher, 30, is the third woman on the list released by HamasCredit: Bringthemhome
21
There is still hope that the hostages will be freed when the deal resumes Credit: Alamy
21
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will not continue with the ceasefire without a list of hostagesCredit: ap
In a critical first step, 33 hostages, including women, children and the elderly held captive by Hamas, will be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas has released the names of three Israeli hostages who will be freed on the first day of the ceasefire agreement – one of whom is British national Emily Damari, 28.
Romi Gonen, 23, and Doron Steinbrecher, 30, will also be released after tense hours after Hamas initially failed to hand over a list of hostages.
The release of the three women held by Hamas will be today after 2 p.m.
Read more about the war in Gaza
Soon-to-be-released British-Israeli Emily Damari grew up in south-east London before moving to Israel in her 20s.
A Spurs fan was shot in the arm and suffered shrapnel wounds to the leg when she was abducted from the village of Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7.
But the freed hostages later discovered that Emily had helped cheer up other captives in the terror tunnels in Gaza.
Her London-born mother made a desperate plea for the release of her daughter, who was abducted from her home by Hamas along with her twin brothers Ziva and Gali Berman, 27.
The initial group of freed hostages will be met by medical teams and psychological support staff at three designated points along the Gaza border before being reunited with their families.
Four other live hostages will be released in seven days, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced.
21
Heartbroken mother Mandy Damari demanded a deal to free her daughter Emily Damari from Hamas
21
Emily was in her apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Az when the deadly attack by Hamas took placeCredit: Reuters
21
Emily is a big fan of Tottenham Hotspurs Credits: Submitted
The Palestinian prisoners freed on Sunday include 95 people, many of whom have not been convicted or tried.
LAST MINUTE HESITATION
The road to the implementation of the truce was anything but smooth.
Late Saturday night, the fragile deal appeared to be on the brink of collapse as the Hamas terror group still had not released the agreed list of hostages.
Netanyahu warned that the cease-fire deal was in jeopardy because Israel would not proceed until Hamas released a list of hostages to be released.
In a statement released on Saturday, Netanyahu’s office emphasized Israel’s position.
It said: “We will not proceed with the draft until we have the list of hostages to be released, as agreed.
“Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. Sole responsibility rests with Hamas.”
Israel has promised to continue fighting in Gaza until the names are given.
Israeli tanks continued to shell areas in Gaza this morning, and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials said “terrorist targets” were hit.
My daughter is the only British hostage left in Gaza – she has been imprisoned for 425 days and I fear she will starve
Hamas blamed technical reasons on the ground for the delay in handing over the names.
US President-elect Donald Trump said earlier this week that “a handshake has taken place”, fueling positive expectations for a ceasefire agreement.
The world waited with bated breath as negotiators forged a peace accord.
For more than a year, the United States, Qatar and Egypt have been working behind the scenes to craft a plan for a ceasefire, culminating in this week’s announcement that a deal had been reached.
The exchange, brokered by the Red Cross, marks a poignant moment in the ceasefire’s move towards de-escalation.
The ceasefire agreement, forged after months of diplomatic efforts, also outlines a detailed three-phase roadmap.
21
Displaced Palestinians make their way through the street as they return to RafahCredit: AFP
21
Israeli military vehicles take up position inside the Gaza StripCredit: Reuters
21
Smoke rises after an explosion in northern Gaza on the morning of January 19 Credit: Reuters
The initial phase is aimed at a six-week cessation of hostilities, during which critically vulnerable hostages will be released.
Displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to the northern Gaza Strip as Israeli forces withdraw from key population centers.
To respond to urgent humanitarian needs, 600 aid trucks, including 50 with fuel, will enter Gaza daily during this period.
In the second phase, Hamas will release the remaining hostages, primarily male soldiers, in exchange for further prisoner releases.
Israeli troops will complete their withdrawal from Gaza, marking a significant de-escalation of the conflict.
Tortured mother of only British hostage left in Gaza pleads for deal to free daughter from Hamas hell
However, negotiations will continue during this phase to ensure that the terms of the agreement are respected and that no violations occur.
In the final phase, efforts will be focused on reconciliation and reconstruction.
This will include returning the bodies of hostages who did not survive captivity to their families, closing a painful chapter.
At the same time, a long-term Gaza reconstruction plan will be launched, overseen by international bodies, to address the widespread destruction and humanitarian crisis caused by the war.
THE WAY TO PEACE
The agreement marks a significant milestone after more than a year of intense conflict, which began with surprise attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
The brutal bloodshed of that terrorist group marked one of the darkest days in the nation’s history.
Terrorists stormed across the border from Gaza, killing more than 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others, including women, children and the elderly.
21
Baby Kfir, the youngest hostage taken by Hamas, could be freed
21
Hamas gunmen release hostages in November 2023. Credit: Getty
21
Protesters hold banners during a protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday, outside Israel’s defense ministry, calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in GazaCredit: AFP
21
Relatives and supporters of hostages held in the Gaza Strip hug after the announcement Credit: Rex
21
Palestinians celebrate after news of ceasefire breaks Credit: Rex
In a coordinated attack, heavily armed fighters infiltrated Israeli cities, kibbutzim and military bases, unleashing indiscriminate violence.
Innocent families were killed in their homes, and graphic footage of the crime spread on social media and shocked the world.
The massacre provoked a swift and massive Israeli response, which escalated into a full-scale war.
The attack not only reignited long-standing tensions in the region, but also left deep scars on both sides of the conflict, setting the stage for the 15 months of destruction that followed.
In response, Israel launched a relentless military campaign in Gaza, killing more than 11,000 Palestinians and displacing over 1.9 million residents.
What happened on October 7?
OCTOBER 7, 2023 Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel, marking one of the darkest days in the nation’s history.
Terrorists stormed across the border from Gaza, killing more than 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and kidnapping 250 others, including women, children and the elderly.
In a coordinated attack, heavily armed fighters infiltrated Israeli cities, kibbutzim and military bases, unleashing indiscriminate violence.
Innocent families were killed in their homes, and graphic footage of the crime spread on social media and shocked the world.
And in addition to attacking people in their homes, they also raided the Nova music peace festival – killing at least 364 people there alone.
The massacre provoked a swift and massive Israeli response, escalating into a full-scale war.
The attack not only reignited long-standing tensions in the region, but also left deep scars on both sides of the conflict, setting the stage for the 15 months of destruction that followed.
Entire settlements were turned into ruins, and Gaza’s infrastructure was on the verge of collapse.
Despite the devastation, progress was made when diplomatic mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt secured an initial framework for a ceasefire.
Will Israel Unleash the NEXT Hamas Terrorist Mastermind? Mossad ‘keeps a close eye’ on prisoners freed under Gaza deal
The deal, which was finalized under enormous pressure, aims to address immediate humanitarian needs and wider political grievances.
WHAT’S AHEAD
While the ceasefire brings a welcome reprieve, challenges remain.
The successful implementation of the next stages depends on the fragile trust between the parties, and Netanyahu warns that Israel is prepared to continue its campaign if Hamas falters.
For families awaiting the return of loved ones or grieving the loss of their homes, today offers a moment of cautious hope.
After months of bloodshed, the world watches as both sides take tentative steps toward peace.
The road ahead is uncertain, but for now the weapon is silent.
Meanwhile, Israel announced that in a special operation it recovered the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier who was killed in the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas.
The bodies of Shaul and another soldier, Hadar Goldin, remained in Gaza after the 2014 war and were not returned despite a public campaign by their families.
While the ceasefire agreement continues to hold, Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has resigned from the government in opposition to the ceasefire agreement.
The far-right minister saw the deal as Israel’s concession to Hamas.
21
Israel has announced that it has found the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier who was killed in the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas. Credit: Brochure
21
Columns of smoke rise from explosions above destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip on January 18 Credit: AFP
21
A woman holds a picture of ‘Amit Soussana’ who was held hostage in GazaCredit: AFP
21
A monument to the murdered hostages seen at the commemorative vigil Credit: Rex
21
Palestinians began celebrating after the agreement was announced earlier this weekCredit: AFP
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education