Kathmandu: The long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has come into effect following a brief delay, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to the cities they were forced to flee.
As part of the agreement, the first three Israeli hostages—31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher, 28-year-old dual British-Israeli citizen Emily Damari, and 24-year-old Romi Gonen—are set to be released soon. A Red Cross team has entered Gaza to oversee their handover.
Under the terms of the truce, Hamas has agreed to release one hostage for every 30 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails.
However, before the ceasefire took effect, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza reportedly killed 19 more people, according to the Hamas-run civil defense agency.
The ceasefire follows a deadly escalation that began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 hostages to Gaza. Israel’s subsequent offensive has resulted in over 46,900 Palestinian deaths, as reported by Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The truce, brokered with the mediation of Qatar, the US, and Egypt, represents a critical moment to address the humanitarian crisis and work toward a peaceful resolution.
Source: BBC