Ceasefire Takes Effect in Gaza Amid Ongoing Tensions
Prior to the ceasefire taking effect, Israeli airstrikes resulted in at least 19 Palestinian fatalities across various regions in Gaza

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has officially taken effect today, January 19, 2025, at 11:15 AM local time (4:15 AM ET), following a nearly three-hour delay from the initially scheduled time of 8:30 AM.
This delay was due to Hamas’s failure to provide a list of hostages to be released as part of the agreement.
The ceasefire includes provisions for the release of hostages held by Hamas. Initially, three female hostages will be returned today, with a total of 33 hostages expected to be released over a six-week period. Subsequent releases are scheduled for Day 7 and then every seven days thereafter.
Prior to the ceasefire taking effect, Israeli airstrikes resulted in at least 19 Palestinian fatalities across various regions in Gaza. The violence continued until the ceasefire was officially announced.
The ceasefire was brokered through negotiations involving Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, following significant diplomatic efforts from both the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump.
After the initial phase of the ceasefire, which lasts for six weeks, further negotiations will be necessary to address more complex issues and additional phases of hostage exchanges.
The Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Sunday that Israel’s military offensive on the Gaza Strip has resulted in the deaths of at least 46,913 Palestinians and left 110,750 others injured since October 7, 2023.
Following the ceasefire, thousands of displaced Gazans, carrying tents, clothes, and personal belongings, began returning to their homes on Sunday following the implementation of a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after over 15 months of conflict.

AFP journalists observed Palestinians travelling by truck, donkey cart, and on foot through the devastated areas of Gaza, particularly in the northern regions of the territory.

About 200 aid delivery trucks, including 20 carrying fuel, began arriving on Sunday at the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing ahead of entry into the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported, quoting two Egyptian sources.
The aid trucks were using the Kerem Shalom entry point pending completion of maintenance at the Rafah border crossing into southern Gaza from Egypt, the report said.