Qatar says, Israel-Hamas ceasefireto go into effect at 8:30 am today

 

 

THE ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will go into effect in less than 24 hours, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. In a post on X, Foreign Minister Majid al-Ansari said the ceasefire will start at 8:30 am (6:30 GMT) on Sunday, and advised people to exercise caution and wait for directions from officials. Early Saturday morning, Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages and pause the 15-month war with Hamas, bringing the sides a step closer to ending their deadliest and most destructive fighting ever. Despite the ceasefire news, sirens sounded across central Israel on Saturday, with the army saying it intercepted projectiles launched from Yemen.

 

The Iran-backed Houthis have stepped up their missile attacks in recent weeks. The group says the attacks are part of its campaign aimed at pressuring Israel and the West over the war in Gaza. There were also continued Israeli strikes into Gaza. The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 23 people were killed the previous day. Under the first phase of the ceasefire, 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.

 

According to the ceasefire plan, approved by the Cabinet and signed by Israel’s national security advisor, the exchange will begin Sunday at 4 pm (14:00 GMT). During each exchange, prisoners will be released by Israel after the hostages have arrived safely. The plan says that during phase one, some 1,900 Palestinian prisoners will be released, in exchange for 33 Israeli hostages, both alive and dead. Among the prisoners, 1,167 are residents of Gaza who were held by Israel but were not involved in the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas. All women and children under 19 from Gaza held by Israel will be freed during this phase. All Palestinian prisoners who were convicted of deadly attacks will be exiled, either to Gaza or abroad, and barred from returning to Israel or the West Bank.