A ceasefire in Gaza, scheduled for Sunday morning, was delayed after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested Hamas provide a list of the hostages to be released that day. Hamas stated it could not meet this request due to “technical” reasons.
An Israeli military spokesperson said, the time the ceasefire was supposed to start, that Hamas had not fulfilled its obligations, and Israel would continue its operations until Hamas complied.
The ceasefire was expected to bring an end to a 15-month war that has caused significant upheaval in the Middle East. Netanyahu announced an hour before the ceasefire was to begin that it would be postponed until Hamas provided a list of the three hostages scheduled for release on Sunday.
Hamas confirmed its commitment to the ceasefire but explained that the delay in providing the list was due to “technical field reasons,” without further clarification.
Israeli forces were reportedly withdrawing from Gaza’s Rafah area, and explosions were heard in Gaza up until the deadline. Residents in Gaza’s Khan Younis started celebrating, with gunshots fired into the air.
The ceasefire agreement, negotiated with the help of Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S., is part of a three-stage process. The first stage, which will last six weeks, will see the release of 33 hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including militants involved in attacks on Israelis.
