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8 minutes ago

Israel-Hamas ceasefire latest: Israel to release 737 prisoners as time Gaza truce comes into effect announced

The ceasefire deal will now be discussed by Netanyahu’s wider cabinet ahead of Sunday’s hostage release

Bel Trew
Tel Aviv
,Tom Watling ,Shweta Sharma
Saturday 18 January 2025 09:12 GMT
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Israel accuses Hamas of backtracking on ceasefire deal

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Israel are expected to release 737 prisoners and detainees as part of the first phase of a long-awaited ceasefire deal which begins on Sunday.

“The government approves” the “release (of) 737 prisoners and detainees” currently in the custody of the prison service, the ministry said in a statement.

Israel has approved a long-awaited ceasefire truce with Hamas, paving the way for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip after 15 months of devastating fighting.

The deal is set to come into effect at 8.30am local time (6.30am GMT) on Sunday, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said.

Israel’s government voted in favour of the truce after the country’s security cabinet, chaired by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, agreed to the ceasefire and hostage deal earlier on Friday. The vote is believed to have been 24 in favour and eight against early on Saturday morning local time.

The ceasefire was announced on Wednesday but faced last-minute hurdles after Mr Netanyahu accused Hamas of “reneging” on parts of the deal.

It was not clear what caused the delay, but it was reported Hamas tried to add some of its members to the list of Palestinian prisoners that would be released under the exchange.

11 minutes ago

Hamas says Israeli hostages’ release to hinge on number of freed Palestinians

Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Saturday that the mechanism of the release of Israeli hostages it holds in Gaza would depend on the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel would free.

In a statement, Hamas said the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released would be published one day before the exchange under terms of its ceasefire deal reached with Israel on Wednesday.

The ceasefire is set to come into effect at 8.30am local time (6.30am GMT) on Sunday, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said.

Holly Evans18 January 2025 09:09
39 minutes ago

Hezbollah chief says Gaza ceasefire deal shows 'persistence of resistance' against Israel

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem congratulated Palestinians on Saturday for the Gaza ceasefire deal, saying it proved the “persistence of resistance” against Israel in his first comments since Israel and Hamas reached the accord on Wednesday.

“This deal, which was unchanged from what was proposed in May 2024, proves the persistence of resistance groups, which took what they wanted while Israel was not able to take what it sought,” the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group said in a speech.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in a conflict parallel to the Gaza war in November.

Sheikh Naim Qassem, the leader of Hezbollah, pictured here in September
Sheikh Naim Qassem, the leader of Hezbollah, pictured here in September (EPA)
Holly Evans18 January 2025 08:41
50 minutes ago

Rocket sirens heard in Tel Aviv

Rocket sirens have been heard in central Israel, with our chief international reporter Bel Trew reporting that they are sounding in Tel Aviv.

A statement from the IDF read: “Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in a number of areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF.

“Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.”

Holly Evans18 January 2025 08:30
1 hour ago

What will happen on Sunday?

Qatar says ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will go into effect at 6:30am GMT on Sunday

Under the deal, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.

Hamas has agreed to free three female hostages on Day 1 of the deal, four on Day 7 and the remaining 26 over the following five weeks.

Israel publishes list of more than 700 Palestinian prisoners to be released under the ceasefire deal

Holly Evans18 January 2025 08:08
1 hour ago

Ceasefire deal to come into effect at 6.30am GMT

The Gaza ceasefire will come into effect on Sunday at 06:30am GMT, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said in a tweet on X on Saturday.

Holly Evans18 January 2025 08:00
1 hour ago

119 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks since Wednesday

In Gaza, Israeli warplanes have kept up heavy attacks since the ceasefire deal was agreed. Medics in Gaza said an Israeli airstrike early on Saturday killed five people in a tent in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in the enclave’s south.

This brought to 119 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli bombardment since the accord was announced on Wednesday.

Gaza civilians have faced a humanitarian crisis due to hunger, cold and sickness. The ceasefire agreement calls for a surge in assistance, and international organisations have aid trucks lined up on Gaza’s borders to bring in food, fuel, medicine and other vital supplies.

Smoke rises from buildings in Gaza after Israeli bombardment
Smoke rises from buildings in Gaza after Israeli bombardment (Getty)

Palestinian relief agency UNRWA said on Friday that it has 4,000 truckloads of aid, half of which are food, ready to enter the coastal strip.

Palestinians waiting for food in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday said they hoped a truce will mean an end to hours of queuing to fill one plate.

“I hope it will happen so we’ll be able to cook in our homes and make whatever food we want, without having to go to soup kitchens and exhaust ourselves for three or four hours trying to get (food) - sometimes not even making it home,” displaced Palestinian Reeham Sheikh al-Eid said.

Holly Evans18 January 2025 07:43
2 hours ago

Countdown to Gaza ceasefire and release of hostages begins

Countdown to Gaza ceasefire and release of hostages begins

‘No one should be left behind’ declare families of Israeli hostages to Bel Trew in Tel Aviv, as Netanyahu’s security cabinet finally approves historic Gaza truce – with the first captives expected to be set free by Hamas on Sunday

Tom Watling18 January 2025 07:02
3 hours ago

Trump claims he secured peace in Gaza – can he do the same in Ukraine?

Trump can claim peace in Gaza – doing the same Ukraine will be much harder

Trump heads into the White House thoroughly puffed up by his role in securing the Gaza ceasefire, writes Sam Kiley. His allies and enemies around the world will now be plotting to exploit his vanity further

Tom Watling18 January 2025 06:01
4 hours ago

A year of war in Gaza: A timeline of key moments as ceasefire agreed

A year of war in Gaza: A timeline of key moments as ceasefire deal agreed

Fifteen months after Israel vowed to wipe Hamas ‘off the face of the earth’ following the 7 October attack, a ceasefire has been reached

Tom Watling18 January 2025 05:02
4 hours ago

Israel says 737 prisoners to be released in first phase of truce deal

Israel has said 737 prisoners are to be freed in the first phase of Gaza truce deal.

A ceasefire deal was reached early today. Under the deal, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remaining hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first.

The Hamas militant group has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.

Shweta Sharma18 January 2025 05:00

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