Qatar: Guns to fall silent in Gaza from today

NT Bureau, Agencies

Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip): Afour-day ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas will began Friday morning, Qatar said, a day later than originally announced, as negotiators worked out final details of the deal, which is to lead to the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

The diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, as well as families in Israel fearful for the fate of their loved ones taken captive during Hamas' October 7 attack that triggered the war.

The deal appeared to hit a last-minute snag when Israel's national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced a one-day delay late Wednesday, without providing a reason.

The cease-fire was originally set to begin Thursday morning. On Thursday, Majed alAnsari, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of Qatar, which played a key role in mediating with Hamas, announced the cease-fire will start at 7 a.m. local time Friday (5 a.m. GMT.)

He said the two sides had exchanged lists of those to be released, and the first group of hostages held by Hamas — including 13 women and children — would be freed Friday afternoon. Increased aid for Palestinians will start to enter “as soon as possible,” al-Ansari said.

The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, meanwhile, resumed its detailed count of Palestinian casualties from the war, saying over 13,300 have been killed. In past tallies, women and minors have consistently made up around two-thirds of the dead.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu however vowed to continue the war after the truce expires, with the goal of destroying Hamas' military capabilities, ending its 16-year rule in Gaza and returning all of the estimated 240 captives held in Gaza by Hamas and other groups.

The territory's largest medical centre has been at the heart of a fierce battle of narratives over both sides' allegedly reckless endangerment of civilians. Hamas and hospital staff deny Israeli allegations that Shifa was used as a militant command centre.

The military said on Thursday it detained Mohammed Abu Selmia, the director of Shifa, for questioning over his involvement in what it said were “extensive” Hamas activities in the hospital. Gaza's Health Ministry called on international bodies to intervene and said it would no longer cooperate with the World Health Organisation in evacuating hospitals.

Under the truce deal, 50 hostages are supposed to be freed in stages, in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners with women and children to be released first.