The truce between Israel and Hamas comes into force

Failure to impose hostage names prompted the ceasefire's entry into force to be delayed for more than two hours, as Israel said earlier that it would continue fighting until the names were delivered, as was foretold in the agreement reached earlier this week.

Hamas said earlier Sunday that for “technical reasons on the ground” failed in time to hand over names. Through a statement, the Palestinian radical group said it is committed to the ceasefire agreement.

Israel also said before the ceasefire was launched that it would continue fighting until lists of hostage names were published. Later, the Israeli army said it has targeted a series of Hamas' shirts in Gaza. The Health Ministry in Gaza said at least eight people were killed on the morning of January 19th.

With the release of the first three hostages, dozens of Palestinian prisoners in Israel are expected to be released.

Throughout the Palestinian enclave, there were celebrations Sunday, and some Palestinians began returning to their homes even though delays in entering the ceasefire in power highlighted the fragility of the agreement.

The ceasefire agreement envisions the end of the 15-month war and the release of almost 100 hostages, which were seized during Hamas' attack in Israel on October 7th 2023.

Meanwhile, Israel announced it has managed to pull the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier who was killed in the Israeli-Haams war in 2014. The troops of Shaul and the other soldier, Hadar Goldie, had been in Gaza even after the end of the war in 2014.

The truce, which was reached after a year of intensive mediation by the US, Qatar and Egypt, is the first step in a long and fragile process aimed at ending the 15-month war. /euronews