Israel-Gaza ceasefire truce to come into effect at 12 noon on Sunday

The Gaza ceasefire will come into effect at 8.30 am Gaza time (6.30 am GMT) on Sunday 19 January, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson said on social media. Under the ceasefire agreement, the three-stage truce starts with an initial six-week phase when hostages held by Hamas will be exchanged for prisoners and detainees jailed in Israel.

Majed Al Ansari’s post on X (formerly Twitter) said, "As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30 am on Sunday, January 19, local time in Gaza. We advise the inhabitants to take precaution, exercise the utmost caution, and wait for directions from official"

As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 19, local time in Gaza. We advise the inhabitants to take precaution, exercise the utmost caution, and wait for directions from official…

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) January 18, 2025

The Israeli cabinet approved a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal with Hamas, marking a potential turning point in the 15-month-long conflict in Gaza. According to an Axios report citing an Israeli cabinet member, the deal was ratified after a marathon six-hour cabinet meeting that concluded early Saturday.

Of the cabinet members, 24 voted in favour, while eight opposed the agreement.

The agreement also outlines a series of hostage-for-prisoner exchanges, a move that could pave the way for a resolution to the conflict, despite opposition from hardliners within the cabinet.

Under the first phase of the 42-day ceasefire deal, set to begin on Sunday, Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages, including children, women—such as female soldiers—and individuals over the age of 50.

In return, Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners for each female Israeli soldier freed by Hamas and 30 for other female hostages.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that French-Israeli citizens Ofer Kalderon and Ohad Yahalomi are among the first group of hostages to be released.

More than 115 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire agreement was announced on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

A spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that 116 people, including 62 women and children, have died since Wednesday night. The Gaza health ministry stated that over the 15-month conflict between Israel and Hamas, at least 46,876 people have been killed and 110,642 injured.

Also read: Israeli government approves Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, paving way for implementation on Sunday