Stay updates | Israel-Hamas truce begins with a cease-fire forward of hostage and prisoner releases

A four-day stop fireplace within the Israel-Hamas battle started Friday morning in Gaza as a part of an settlement that Qatar helped dealer. The deal additionally consists of the discharge of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, which was to happen later Friday.

With the deal comes elevated shipments of gas and provides into Gaza — although nonetheless solely sufficient to dent the wants of the two.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who’ve endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, based on help teams. Israel has agreed to permit the supply of 130,000 liters (34,300 gallons) of gas a day into besieged Gaza for humanitarian wants at some stage in the truce.

Greater than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, based on the Well being Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza after a dayslong pause in its casualty report, which it attributed to the well being system’s collapse in northern Gaza making it unattainable to offer an in depth rely.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has mentioned he’ll press forward with the battle after a cease-fire expires. Some 1,200 individuals have been killed in Israel, principally in the course of the preliminary incursion by Hamas.

At the moment:

— A four-day truce begins, setting the stage for the discharge of dozens of hostages.

— Hezbollah fires rockets at north Israel after an airstrike kills 5 of the group’s senior fighters.

— Hundreds led by Cuba’s president march in solidarity with Palestinians.

— Discover extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

Right here’s what’s taking place within the battle:

‘EVERYONE IN RETURN FOR EVERYONE,’ PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD LEADER SAYS

BEIRUT — The chief of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group mentioned Friday that Israeli troopers among the many 240 hostages held by militant teams in Gaza will solely be launched in change for all of the Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Islamic Jihad is reportedly holding about 40 of the hostages who have been captured by Hamas and different militant teams throughout their Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel. Over the following 4 days, 50 hostages are to be launched in change for 150 Palestinian prisoners, with each side releasing ladies and kids first.

In a televised speech on the primary day of what’s meant to be a four-day truce within the Israel-Hamas battle, Islamic Jihad chief Ziad Nakhaleh mentioned that “the enemy’s army prisoners is not going to be launched with out the liberty of our prisoners and that is linked to the tip of the aggression.” He mentioned that Israel could be compelled to “finally attain a deal of everybody in return for everybody.”

It was not instantly clear how lots of the hostages held in Gaza are at the moment serving within the army and whether or not the militants additionally think about reserve troopers to be army hostages.

Near 7,000 Palestinians are at the moment imprisoned by Israel on safety costs, together with about 1,800 arrested because the begin of the battle.

MUCH-NEEDED FUEL AND COOKING GAS TANKERS ENTER GAZA

JERUSALEM — Israel introduced that 4 tankers with gas and 4 tankers with cooking gasoline entered the Gaza Strip on Friday, the primary day of what’s meant to be a four-day cease-fire.

Israel has agreed to permit the supply of 130,000 liters (34,300 gallons) of gas a day into besieged Gaza for humanitarian wants at some stage in the truce. This could be roughly twice the quantity permitted beforehand, however nonetheless solely a small portion of Gaza’s day by day wants, estimated at greater than 1 million liters (264,000 gallons).

For many of the previous seven weeks of battle, Israel had barred the entry of any gas to Gaza, claiming it could possibly be utilized by Hamas for army functions. United Nations help companies pushed again towards such claims, saying gas deliveries have been intently supervised and urgently wanted to avert a humanitarian disaster.

It was not instantly clear if Friday’s deliveries meant the brand new day by day goal set by the truce deal had been reached. The announcement was made by COGAT, a physique in Israel’s protection ministry accountable for Palestinian civilian affairs.

THAI FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS HE CANNOT CONFIRM REPORTS OF THAI HOSTAGES BEING RELEASED

BANGKOK — Thailand’s international minister mentioned Friday morning that he has not but been capable of affirm media studies that 23 Thai employees held hostage in Gaza have been set to be launched. However, the minister mentioned, his Iranian counterpart, who’s serving as an middleman with Hamas, informed him there shall be “excellent news quickly.”

Thai International Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara mentioned his ministry has been getting ready to obtain the hostages if and when they’re launched.

Qatari officers, who’ve been the principle intermediaries in hostage launch talks, can have a gathering concerning the matter, Parnpree mentioned, and by Friday afternoon Thai officers anticipate to know extra developments and hope it will likely be excellent news.

The lacking employees have been amongst about 30,000 Thais employed principally in Israel’s agricultural sector. In line with the Thai international ministry, 39 have been killed within the Oct. 7 assaults, and 36 kidnapped. Greater than 8,600 employees have been voluntarily repatriated residence because the assaults.

ISRAELI MILITARY SAYS IT HAS DESTROYED TUNNELS UNDER SHIFA HOSPITAL

JERUSALEM — The Israeli army mentioned Friday it has destroyed stretches of tunnels and a lot of tunnel shafts within the space of Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest.

On Wednesday, Israel confirmed a tunnel and rooms that army officers mentioned have been a significant Hamas hideout beneath Shifa. Hamas and hospital workers deny Israeli allegations that Shifa was used as a militant command middle.

On Thursday, Israeli army spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari mentioned Israel mapped out Shifa Hospital and plans to destroy all “terror infrastructure” it has discovered.

Individually, the army mentioned it continued to strike targets all through the night time main as much as a four-day truce that started Friday morning. It mentioned it “accomplished its operational preparations based on the fight traces of the pause.”

ISRAEL WARNS PALESTINIANS NOT TO RETURN TO NORTHERN GAZA

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Israeli army has warned a whole bunch of 1000’s of displaced Palestinians who sought refuge in southern Gaza to not try to return to their houses within the northern half of the territory, the main focus of Israel’s floor offensive.

Arabic-language leaflets dropped Friday over southern Gaza mentioned that “the battle has not ended but” and folks ought to stay in place.

“Returning to the north is prohibited and really harmful,” the leaflets mentioned. “Your destiny and the destiny of your households is in your palms. We have now warned you.”

Regardless of the warnings, some Palestinians have been seen strolling north alongside Gaza’s foremost freeway. Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee posted on X in Arabic that motion on the freeway would solely be permitted in a single route: from north to south.

For the reason that early days of the battle triggered by the Hamas assault on southern Israel seven weeks in the past, a whole bunch of 1000’s of individuals have left their houses within the north on the orders of the Israeli military.

A FOUR-DAY TRUCE BEGINS IN GAZA

A brief truce within the Israel-Hamas battle took impact early Friday, setting the stage for the change of dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

The halt in combating started at 7 a.m. native time (0500 GMT) and is to final not less than 4 days. Through the truce, Gaza’s ruling Hamas group pledged to free not less than 50 of the about 240 hostages it and different militants took of their lethal Oct. 7 assault on Israel. In flip, Israel is to free three Palestinian prisoners for every launched hostage. The releases are to happen in phases over the following 4 days.

The truce deal was reached in weeks of intense oblique negotiations, with Qatar, the US and Egypt serving as mediators. If it holds, it will mark the primary important break in combating since Israel declared battle on Hamas seven weeks in the past.

About 1,200 individuals have been killed by Hamas attackers in Israel on Oct. 7. Israel responded with an enormous air and floor offensive that has devastated massive swaths of Gaza and killed not less than 13,300 Palestinians.