Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on the morning of January 19 that the cease-fire agreement with Hamas will not commence as scheduled unless Hamas provides the names of Israeli hostages to be released.
He emphasized that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will continue their operations in Gaza until this information is received.
The cease-fire was intended to take effect at 8:30 a.m. local time, with Hamas indicating it would supply the list of hostages; however, the agreement remains unimplemented as Israel awaits this crucial information. Hamas attributed the delay in providing the names to "technical field reasons" while asserting its commitment to the cease-fire deal established the previous week.
Israel's Cabinet had approved the cease-fire agreement early Saturday, which includes the release of dozens of hostages and a pause in hostilities following the October 7 attack by Hamas.
The arrangement stipulates that 33 hostages will be released over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The initial phase includes the release of three female hostages on the first day, four on the seventh day, and the remaining 26 over the subsequent five weeks.
Reports indicate that at least eight Gazans have died in IDF strikes since the cease-fire was supposed to begin. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari reiterated that the cease-fire will not be activated until Hamas meets its obligations, specifically by providing the names of the hostages.
Hamas has stated that it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting cease-fire and a complete Israeli withdrawal, marking this as the second cease-fire agreement reached during the ongoing conflict.
Humanitarian aid is anticipated to increase significantly in Gaza once the cease-fire takes effect.
The conflict in Gaza, which has lasted for 15 months, ignited on October 7, 2023, when Hamas executed a surprise assault on Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and around 250 abductions, leading to a strong military response from Israel. Currently, nearly 100 hostages are still held in Gaza.
According to local health officials from the Hamas-led government, Israel's military actions have claimed the lives of over 46,000 Palestinians, with no distinction made between civilians and combatants.