Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal takes effect after delay

The start time was set back by several hours as Israel waited for Hamas to name the three hostages it will free on Sunday.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersGaza ceasefire and hostage release deal takes effect after delayReutersThousands of displaced Palestinians began returning to their homes after the ceasefire took effectThe first phase of the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire deal has begun after an almost three-hour delay, with Hamas set to release three Israeli hostages later on Sunday.

The ceasefire was due to start at 08:30 (06:30 GMT), but Israel said Hamas had not delivered the names of the first hostages to be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas blamed "technical reasons".

Nineteen Palestinians were reportedly killed as the Israeli military struck what it called "terror targets" in Gaza after the initial deadline passed.

The ceasefire eventually took effect at 11:15, after Israel received the hostages' names. Mediator Qatar said they included British-Israeli and Romanian-Israeli dual nationals.

A statement from Hamas identified the three women as Romi Gonen, 24, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a Romanian citizen, and 28-year-old Emily Damari, who is the only British national still being held after 15 months of devastating war.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgpe1pmyq5o

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