GAZA CITY — A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Sunday, bringing a measure of calm to Gaza after 15 months of devastating conflict. The agreement, delayed by hours over last-minute disputes, offers 2.4 million Palestinians some relief and a glimmer of hope for an end to the violence.
The ceasefire, which began at 11:15 a.m. local time, marks the start of a phased plan. In the first six weeks, Hamas will release some Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The deal also includes a gradual Israeli military withdrawal and a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Subsequent phases aim to free all captives and establish a permanent ceasefire. However, the road to this agreement has been fraught with setbacks and uncertainty since the war erupted on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on Israel.
Hours before the truce began, Hamas named three female hostages—Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31—who are set to be released later on Sunday. Gonen was abducted from the Nova music festival, while Damari, an Israeli-British dual citizen, and Steinbrecher were taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
Celebrations broke out in Gaza despite the delays, which highlighted the fragility of the agreement. Some residents cautiously began returning to their homes.
Yet, violence persisted even as the truce approached. An Israeli airstrike hit Khan Younis two hours after the original ceasefire time, killing at least eight people, according to Nasser Hospital. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported three additional deaths from strikes in Gaza City.
Political fallout
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of failing to fulfill its obligation to provide the names of hostages scheduled for release. “The military will continue targeting Gaza until all commitments are met,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
Domestically, the ceasefire has sparked political tension. The hardline Jewish Power party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, announced the resignation of its Cabinet ministers in protest against the truce. While this weakens Netanyahu’s coalition, it does not affect the ceasefire’s implementation.
In a separate development, Israel announced it had recovered the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier killed during the 2014 war with Hamas. Shaul and another soldier, Hadar Goldin, had remained in Gaza since the 2014 conflict, despite years of public campaigning by their families.
