Timeline of Ceasefire Announced; Qatar Gives Israel List of Hostages Set to Be Released

By Matis Glenn

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday a finalized timeline for the ceasefire and hostage release, and that Israel was given a list of names of hostages held captive by Hamas terrorists that are set to be released.

According to the Ministry, the ceasefire is scheduled to begin Friday, at 7 a.m. The first wave of hostages, consisting of 13 women and children, will be released at 4 p.m. the same day.

The ceasefire was originally planned to begin Thursday, but was pushed off until Friday.

“50 Israeli hostages will be released over the course of 4 days,” a spokesman for the Ministry said. “During the four days of the ceasefire, information will be gathered about the other hostages. We hope that the break will lead to a permanent ceasefire.”

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that the ceasefire will be temporary, and that Israel will not stop its military operations in Gaza until the have toppled the terrorist regime.

The ceasefire was approved by the Israeli government in the early hours of Wednesday morning.The four-day break will allow freedom of movement from the northern part of the Gaza Strip to the south, and six hours daily without aircraft presence over the area.

In exchange for the release of 50 of nearly 240 Israeli hostages taken by Hamas terrorists, Israel will free roughly 150 Palestinian prisoners jailed for terrorist activities, mostly women and minors.

The Prime Minister’s Office and Coordinator for the Hostages and Missing Brig.-Gen. (Ret.) Gal Hirsch announced that the families of the soon-to-be-released hostages have been notified. They urged media outlets to not spread rumors about the names of the hostages, and that Israel will not publicize the names of the released until they return to Israel.