Middle East latest: Gaza ceasefire is delayed over dispute between Hamas and Israel
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The Israeli military says it “continues to attack” inside the Gaza Strip as a dispute with Hamas delayed the start of a planned ceasefire. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the military’s chief spokesman, said the truce would not begin until Hamas hands over the names of three hostages to be released later on Sunday, echoing an earlier statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The truce had been set to go into effect at 8:30 a.m. local time. Hamas blamed the delay in handing over the names on “technical field reasons.” It said in a statement that it is committed to the ceasefire deal announced last week. Netanyahu said he had instructed the military that the ceasefire “will not begin until Israel has in its possession the list of hostages to be freed, which Hamas committed to provide.” He had issued a similar warning the night before.
About two hours after the ceasefire was due to start, Hamas released three names on social media. There was no immediate response from Israel. The ceasefire was set to pause the fighting after 15 months of war and see the release of dozens of hostages held by the militants in the Gaza Strip and hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
Israel's Cabinet approved the deal early on Saturday. Brokered by mediators the United States, Qatar and Egypt in months of indirect talks between the warring sides, the ceasefire is the second truce achieved in the devastating conflict. The Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel killed some 1,200 people and left some 250 others captive. Nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza.
