GAZA: A four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war commenced at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) on Friday. Hostages in Gaza are expected to be released later in the day in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The ceasefire, mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, is a significant break in the ongoing conflict, which has resulted in the deaths of 1,400 Palestinians civilians, including two-thirds being children and women.
The cessation of hostilities began at 7:00 am (05:00 GMT) in both Palestinian territories and Israel. More than 14,800 people have lost their lives in Gaza since October 7, with Israel reporting an official death toll of about 1,200 from Hamas’s attacks.
Prior to the ceasefire, Israel escalated its attacks, including an airstrike that killed at least 27 people at a UN school. The initial group of 13 Israeli captives, consisting of women and children, is set to be released around 4 pm local time (14:00 GMT).
The Red Cross will escort them to the Rafah border crossing, handing them over to the Israeli military for the identification process. These captives will undergo physical and psychological tests in Tel Aviv hospitals. Simultaneously, 39 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israel, originating from Damon and Megiddo prisons, both southeast of Haifa.
They will be transported to the Ofer prison, south of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, before being handed over to their families at a nearby crossing. Additionally, much-needed humanitarian aid is anticipated to enter Gaza from Egypt shortly after the truce begins, with Hamas expecting 200 aid trucks and additional fuel shipments daily.
