By Worthy News’ George Whitten and Stefan J. Bos
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – A tense ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in the Gaza Strip early Friday ahead of a long-anticipated release of hostages.
The ceasefire started at 07:00 local time, Israeli sources said, and the first group of 13 hostages held by Hamas would be freed at 16:00 Gaza time, according to Qatari mediators.
Under the deal, Hamas will release 50 hostages from Gaza over four days, and Israel will free 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Small arms and mortar fire, as well as an air strike, was heard in Gaza moments before the pause was due to come into effect, witnesses said.
In the last show of defiance, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were pumping seawater into holes and tunnel shafts in the Gaza Strip ahead of the ceasefire.
Although plans for the action were locally known last week, they were kept under military censorship, Worthy News learned.
Israel said it aimed “to flush out as many terrorists as possible” before the truce with Hamas would come into effect Friday morning.
The operation focused on tunnels where intelligence suggested there were no Israeli hostages, the military said.
With a ceasefire underway, more aid was to be allowed into Gaza, where aid workers have reported a lack of fuel, food, and other essentials.
The IDF warned the “war is not over yet” and stressed the humanitarian pause is
“temporary” despite Iran saying a resumption of fighting would expand the war.
Israel says it seeks to destroy Hamas after its attacks on October 7’killed 1,200 people and saw about 240 taken hostage
Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 14,000 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory campaign, although those figures have been difficult to verify.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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