DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip – A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into effect on Sunday, silencing the guns over Gaza and raising hopes of a possible end to a 15-month conflict that has killed tens of thousands and plunged the Middle East into an all-out regional war.
An exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and prisoners had begun in the late afternoon.
Three hostages have been handed over to Israeli forces – the first of 33 to be released in the next six weeks in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians. Israeli authorities gathered the first 90 at Ofer prison north of Jerusalem.
The deal follows months of tough negotiations between Qatar, Egypt and the United States, during which the Qataris regularly expressed frustration and threatened to eventually quit.
Even before the fighting ended, it became clear how precarious the agreement was.
The ceasefire was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. local time, with plans to exchange three female hostages for dozens of Palestinian prisoners later in the day.
But in the hours before the deadline, Hamas failed to provide the list of hostage names, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say there would be no ceasefire unless the information was received. Hamas blamed “technical problems” for the delay and said it remained committed to the deal.
As the clock struck 8:30 a.m., Gazans began celebrating, with thousands in the streets cheering in impromptu parades and aid groups handing out candy.
Minutes later, with no word from Hamas, the sounds of explosions began to echo across the sky.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari issued a statement saying that Hamas “is not fulfilling its obligations and, contrary to the agreement, has not provided Israel with the names of the hostages.”
“According to the prime minister's instructions, the ceasefire will not come into force until Hamas fulfills its obligations,” he said.
“The (Israeli military) will now continue to strike in Gaza as long as Hamas does not fulfill its obligations under the agreement.”
Nearly two hours later, Hamas announced that it had passed on the names of the hostages to Qatari intermediaries. The ceasefire came into force at 11:15 a.m. Emergency services in Gaza said 19 people were killed in the delay.
Despite the shaky start, the ceasefire held throughout Sunday, allowing the first prisoner exchange to begin at around 4:30 p.m. local time.
In Tel Aviv, thousands of Israelis gathered in the so-called Geiselplatz, the courtyard where Israelis have come in repeated demonstrations demanding that the government move more quickly in releasing the hostages. Live broadcasts showed people cheering as news of the hostages' release arrived. They shouted “Now everyone” – to show that they wanted all the hostages returned.
In Gaza City, thousands of Palestinians gathered in Sarayah Square – the designated handover point.
Hamas fighters armed with assault rifles pushed back the crowd as a convoy of vehicles carrying the three Israeli hostages drove into the square. A few moments later, the hostages were quickly loaded into a Red Cross car, which handed them over to the Israeli military.
The hostages were identified as Romi Gonen, 24, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival; and Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, both kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
The crowd in Sarayah Square eagerly awaited the first 90 Palestinians released under the agreement – all women and children.
For Tareq al-Batsh, a 35-year-old taxi driver from Gaza City's Al-Tuffah neighborhood who now lives in a shelter in Deir al Balah, the relief that the ceasefire came about was tempered by frustration that that it did not come about immediately to be able to see his relatives in the north. The best thing he could do now was call her to celebrate.
“Today’s joy feels incomplete,” he said
His wife, Diana al-Batsh, 30, said the first thing she would do was travel north to hug her parents.
“I regret coming south,” she said. “I came here for the safety of the children, but now it feels empty without all the people I love around me.”
They returned to their homeland in the north, even though they knew that it was partially destroyed. Al-Batsh plans to cover holes in the walls with tarps as much as possible. His wife said they would take a few basic things with them – mattresses, old clothes, a few essentials – and take care of the rest when they got there.
“We are of course afraid that this ceasefire could fail at any time,” she said. “Nevertheless, we are cautiously optimistic for the time being.”
Azhaar Rasheed al-Mashharawi, a 52-year-old housewife from the Gaza Strip's Al-Shujaiya neighborhood, had been preparing for this moment for the past two days by going through her belongings and gathering everything she needed to start cleaning her house to begin.
“I wanted to be ready before anyone else,” she said.
She was looking forward to seeing her daughter, 35-year-old Rania, and her six grandchildren.
“I plan to buy some sweets for her. I just want to bring them something nice after everything they’ve been through.”
Nofal Ayyad, a 60-year-old building contractor also from Al-Shujaiya, said he was happy that his family was safe, but he echoed the sentiments of many of his neighbors, saying his “happiness will only be complete when when I can finally return. “Home in the north.”
The ceasefire agreement is broadly similar to what was proposed in May but never materialized. The first phase, based on the exchange of 33 hostages – Israelis and some foreigners – for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, is scheduled to last 42 days.
Of the more than 250 people abducted by Hamas and other militant groups on October 7, 2023, a total of 94 remain in the Gaza Strip. It is assumed that around a third of them died.
Under the first phase, aid deliveries will increase to 600 trucks per day, a huge increase that will provide much-needed aid at a time when large swaths of Gaza have been destroyed. About half of the trucks will be destined for northern Gaza, where the destruction is greatest.
On Sunday morning, UNRWA, the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees, said 4,000 trucks – half of them carrying food and flour – were ready to enter.
Israel has agreed to withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor – which runs east-west and bisects the Strip – and Gazans can return to their homes in the north of the enclave. Israeli forces would remain in the Philadephie Corridor between Gaza and Egypt, Netanyahu said.
Just over two weeks after the ceasefire began, Phase 2 negotiations are expected to begin, which will include the release of the remaining hostages and eventual full withdrawal and a permanent ceasefire.
It is unclear how long these negotiations – which are expected to be even more delicate than those in the first phase – will last, but Netanyahu insisted in a statement on Sunday morning that Israel would return to fighting if it concludes that “Negotiations on Phase 2 are pointless.”
Special correspondent Shbair reported from Deir al Balah and Times staff writer Bulos reported from Beirut.