Gaza humanitarian truce, prisoner swap delayed, to start on Friday: Israel

Israel has said a four-day Gaza truce and hostage release will not start until at least Friday, stalling a breakthrough deal to pause the war with Hamas.

Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi indicated the release of at least 50 Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas was on track, but would not happen on Thursday as expected.

"The contacts on the release of our hostages are advancing and continuing constantly," he said in a statement.

"The start of the release will take place according to the original agreement between the sides, and not before Friday."

A Palestinian official told AFP that the delay was due to "last-minute" details over which hostages would be released and how.

The truce had been put back over "the names of the Israeli hostages and the modalities of their release", said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

A second Israeli official said that a temporary halt in fighting would also not begin on Thursday.

The delay is a hammer blow to families desperate to see their loved ones return home and to two million-plus Gazans praying for an end to 47 days of war and deprivation.

The complex and carefully choreographed deal saw Israel and Hamas agree to a four-day truce, during which at least 50 hostages taken during the Palestinian resistance group's October 7 attacks would be released.

For every 10 additional hostages released, there would be an extra day's "pause" in fighting, an Israeli government document said.

In turn, Israel would release at least 150 Palestinian women and children and allow more humanitarian aid into the besieged coastal territory after weeks of bombardment and heavy fighting.

It was not immediately clear what caused the delay in the deal that resulted from weeks of talks involving Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

'We are winning'

The agreement has been approved by Hamas leaders and by Israel — despite fierce opposition from some within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government.

Minister for National Security Itamar Ben Gvir described the deal as a "historic mistake" that would embolden Hamas and risk the lives of Israeli troops.

Around 240 hostages were taken by Hamas during the raids into Israel on October 7, which also killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities.

The shocking attack prompted a blistering Israeli offensive into Hamas-run Gaza, which authorities there say has killed more than 14,000 people, thousands of them children.

Netanyahu has backed the agreement with Hamas but vowed the truce will be temporary and will not end the campaign to destroy Hamas.

"We are winning and will continue to fight until absolute victory," he said on Wednesday, vowing to secure Israel from threats emanating from Gaza and Lebanon, home to Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants.

'Pain in my heart'

Families on both sides grappled with a lack of clarity over how the releases would unfold.

"We don't know who will get out because Hamas will release the names every evening of those who will get out the next day," said Gilad Korngold, whose son and daughter-in-law are being held in Gaza along with their two children and other relatives.

Israel's list of eligible Palestinian prisoners included 123 detainees under 18 and 33 women, among them Shrouq Dwayyat, convicted of attempted murder in a 2015 knife attack.

"I had hoped that she would come out in a deal," her mother, Sameera Dwayyat, said but added that her relief was tempered by "great pain in my heart" over the dead children in Gaza.

In Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, displaced Palestinians remained sceptical about the Israel-Hamas deal.

"What truce are they talking about? We don't need a truce just so aid can come in. We want to go home," said Maysara Assabagh, who fled northern Gaza for a hospital that now shelters about 35,000 displaced people.

Large parts of Gaza have been flattened by thousands of air strikes, and the territory faces shortages of food, water and fuel.

For now, Israel appeared to be pushing on with its offensive in northern Gaza, with witnesses reporting strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital and nearby homes.

Medical workers treated bloodied, dust-covered survivors as other residents fled through debris-strewn streets to safety.