Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip: A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect Sunday after a tense three-hour delay, marking a critical but precarious step toward ending the brutal conflict that has ravaged the region for 15 months. The truce, which began at 11:15 a.m. local time, follows a year of intense mediation by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, aimed at de-escalating hostilities and negotiating the release of hostages.
The delay stemmed from Hamas’ failure to immediately provide the names of three female hostages it agreed to release. Israel insisted on receiving the names before halting its military operations, prompting continued airstrikes on Gaza that killed at least eight people in Khan Younis and three others in Gaza City just hours before the ceasefire. Despite Hamas’ assertion that “technical field reasons” caused the delay, Israel maintained its stance on enforcing the terms of the agreement.
The truce is designed to span an initial 42-day period, during which 33 hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. However, uncertainties loom over the next phases of the agreement, including the fate of the remaining nearly 100 hostages captured in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that claimed over 1,200 lives in Israel.
Celebrations broke out in Gaza as hopeful residents began returning to their shattered homes, some using donkey carts to carry their belongings. Ahmed Matter, a Gaza City resident, described the continued sounds of explosions overnight but said people were desperate for peace. “People are impatient. They want this madness to end,” he remarked.
However, reactions in Israel were subdued and divided. Asher Pizem from Sderot expressed skepticism about the long-term impact of the ceasefire. “This is just a pause before they regroup and attack again,” he said, criticizing the decision to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, which he fears will strengthen militant factions.
Adding to the day’s drama, the Israeli military announced the recovery of the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier killed during the 2014 war with Hamas. His remains, along with those of Hadar Goldin, had been withheld in Gaza for over a decade, despite efforts by their families to secure their return.
The war’s devastating toll has left Gaza in ruins, with over 46,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and 90 percent of the population displaced. The rebuilding process, if peace holds, will take years, but key political and humanitarian questions about Gaza’s future remain unanswered as negotiations for the next phase of peace loom.