Truce between Israel and Hamas begins Friday at 7 a.m.
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson has made a comprehensive announcement regarding the impending ceasefire and hostage release. According to the spokesperson, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is scheduled to commence at 7 a.m. local time on Friday, with the release of 13 hostages, including women and children, set for 4 p.m. local time. Hamas has already submitted a list of the hostages to be released as part of this agreement.
The ceasefire is designed to last for four days, during which a total of 50 Israeli hostages are expected to be released. Simultaneously, as the ceasefire takes effect, humanitarian aid will begin flowing into the Gaza Strip, marking a crucial step in addressing the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The logistics of the hostage release are being closely guarded for safety reasons. Qatar is working in coordination with the Red Cross and various involved parties to ensure the safe execution of this operation.
Strikes carried on
However, it’s important to note that the temporary ceasefire and the hostage-prisoner exchange, brokered by Qatar, have faced a delay. Originally scheduled to commence at 10 a.m. on Thursday, the start was postponed due to administrative issues, as cited by Israeli officials. This delay has also coincided with an escalation of Israeli strikes in Gaza, with the Israeli Defense Forces reporting more than 300 strikes on Hamas targets in the past day. On the other side more than 13000 people have been killed in Gaza, many of them are children. While many have got injured with little availability  of initial ingredients for survival.
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On a separate front, Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for launching a significant barrage of rockets into Israel’s northern region, marking a notable development in the ongoing conflict.
In the midst of these developments, a large convoy of aid trucks has assembled on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing, poised and ready to deliver essential aid once the truce is finally implemented.