Gaza ceasefire comes into effect

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced that it had received a list of hostages to be released by Hamas today, January 19, thus accepting the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip officially taking effect from 11:15 a.m. (4:15 p.m. Hanoi time).

Hamas admitted to delaying providing the list to Israel due to "technical problems" and "complicated circumstances" on the ground, coupled with continuous raids in recent times.

At around 10:30 a.m. (3:30 p.m. Hanoi time), the organization announced that it would release three female hostages, including Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher. Abu Obaida, spokesman for Hamas' armed wing, said the hostage list was sent to Israel through intermediaries.

"The hostages include three Israeli citizens, one of whom holds dual Israeli-Romanian nationality and one of whom holds dual Israeli-British nationality," Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said.

Gal Hirsch, the Israeli government's special envoy for hostages in the Gaza Strip, has begun informing the families of Gonen, Damari and Steinbrecher about plans to return the three to Israel today.

Gershon Baskin, an Israeli hostage negotiator, said Hamas' delay in providing the list was because the organization no longer controlled the entire Gaza Strip.

"The Hamas leadership is outside the Gaza Strip and they no longer have control of the area. They have promised to release three hostages, women and civilians, today, but they need to verify the location of these hostages and whether they are still alive," Baskin analyzed.

The United States and Qatar announced on January 15 a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas. The agreement was brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt and consists of three phases. The first phase is expected to last 42 days, with provisions such as a cessation of hostilities, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops, an exchange of hostages and prisoners, and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The conflict in Gaza erupted after Hamas launched a coordinated attack on Israeli territory in October 2023, killing more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Of the 251 people taken hostage by Hamas, 94 remain in Gaza, 34 of whom have died, according to the Israeli military.

Health authorities in the Gaza Strip say nearly 47,000 people have been killed and nearly 110,000 injured, with many areas reduced to rubble and engulfed in a humanitarian crisis since Israel launched a retaliatory campaign against the area.