A long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza has finally come into effect after an hour-long delay. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office confirmed that the ceasefire with Hamas began at 11:15 AM local time on Sunday, January 19.

Initially scheduled to start at 10 AM, the ceasefire was postponed as Israel claimed that Hamas had not yet released the list of hostages who were set to be freed under the agreement. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated that the ceasefire could not commence until Hamas fulfilled its commitment to provide the names of the hostages slated for release.

Hamas attributed the delay to "technical issues" in preparing the list of hostages. They eventually announced the names of three women—Romi Gonen, Emily Damani, and Doron Steinbrecher—who would be the first to be released as part of the deal. Following this, the Israeli government confirmed receipt of the list and declared the ceasefire active.

On Saturday, the Israeli cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement, marking a potential end to 15 months of intense conflict in Gaza. The deal is set to be implemented in three phases, with the first phase lasting 42 days.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas will release three Israeli hostages in exchange for 737 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Most of these prisoners were detained during the prolonged conflict. The ceasefire deal also stipulates that a total of 33 Israeli hostages will be released in the initial phase.

The conflict in Gaza escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led an attack in Israel, taking 251 people hostage. The recent agreement, mediated by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, offers hope for a resolution to the bloodshed.

Over the past 15 months, nearly 47,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have lost their lives in Gaza. With the ceasefire now in place, both sides are looking to proceed cautiously, navigating the complex process of implementing the agreement in the weeks ahead.