After Israel's cabinet on Friday approved the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, it is expected to finally take effect beginning at 8:30am Sunday (local), and initially three Israeli women are expected to be named and freed.
"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," Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari announced on X. "We advise the inhabitants to take precaution, exercise the utmost caution, and wait for directions from official sources."
CNN writes of the Israeli government that "The 33-member group of ministers approved the agreement following a recommendation earlier Friday by the smaller security cabinet. Deliberations stretched over seven hours, late into the night on Friday into early Saturday morning local time."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed the ceasefire's start time, and three civilian women who are on a list of 33 hostages to be freed in the 42-day first phase of the deal are set to be handed over, after which up to 1,904 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli prisons. 735 of these prisoners will be released in the first phase.
"The State of Israel is committed to achieving all the goals of the war, including the return of all our hostages – both living and dead," the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Times of Israel notes that the Palestinian freed will include "several serving multiple life sentences for deadly terror attacks and murders."
At least 50 humanitarian aid and fuel trucks are awaiting to enter the Strip as soon as the truce takes effect Sunday morning.
A surge of homeless Gazan refugees are expected to seek to return to their communities in Northern Gaza, but the Israeli army is warning that the situation will still be dangerous.
The Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued instructions for Palestinians for when the ceasefire takes effect. Al Jazeera listed out a translation of the instructions as follows:
- Moving from the south to the north of the Gaza Strip or towards the Netzarim Corridor remains dangerous in light of the military activities in the area. Once movement is permitted, instructions will be given.
- The Israeli army will remain deployed in specific areas of the Gaza Strip. You must not approach its officers until further notice and doing so could expose you to danger.
- It is dangerous to approach the Rafah crossing, the Philadelphi Corridor and all areas in southern Gaza where Israeli forces are deployed.
- In the coastal area along the Strip, fishing, swimming and diving is dangerous and we warn against entering the sea in the coming days.
- It is forbidden to approach Israeli territory and the buffer zone. Approaching the buffer zone is very dangerous.
Still, there's some last minute details still reportedly being worked out, including a demand by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who says Israel will not proceed with the ceasefire until a list of the 33 captives who will be released by Hamas in the first phase is received.
"We will not move forward with the agreement until we receive the list of hostages who will be released, as agreed. Israel will not tolerate violations of the agreement. The sole responsibility lies with Hamas," Netanyahu said on X.