A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is set to commence at 5:30 PM on Sunday, local time, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry. This equates to 6:30 AM GMT, marking a significant milestone as negotiations continue to finalize the agreement, 9 News reports.
Israel’s cabinet has approved the deal, aiming to release dozens of hostages and halt the ongoing 15-month conflict—the deadliest and most destructive between the two sides to date.
Under the agreement, 33 hostages will be released by Hamas over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The release will occur in stages, with three female hostages freed on Day 1, four more on Day 7, and the remaining 26 over the subsequent five weeks. The prisoners released in the first phase will primarily include women and younger individuals.
The second phase of the agreement, which will address the release of male soldiers and other hostages, is contingent upon further negotiations. Hamas has stated that no additional hostages will be released without a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
This ceasefire deal is seen as a critical step toward de-escalation in one of the most protracted and devastating conflicts in the region’s history.