Jerusalem - Israel on Sunday said a truce with Hamas began in Gaza at 0915 GMT, nearly three hours after initially scheduled, following a last-minute delay on the orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During the delay, Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli strikes killed eight people. A statement from Netanyahu's office issued less than an hour before the truce had been set to start at 8:30 am (0630 GMT), said he had "instructed the IDF (military) that the ceasefire... will not begin until Israel has received the list" of hostages to be freed.
Hamas attributed the delay to "technical reasons", as well as the "complexities of the field situation and the continued bombing", ultimately publishing at around 10:30 am the names of three Israeli women to be released on Sunday.
Israel confirmed it had received the list and was "checking the details", before confirming shortly afterward that the truce would begin at 11:15 am local time.
AFPTV live images from northeastern Gaza showed a plume of grey smoke about 30 minutes after the truce was earlier to take effect, and again around 30 minutes later.
The Israeli military confirmed it was continuing "to strike within the Gaza area" following Netanyahu's directive.
Gaza civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal said three people were killed in the north of the territory and five in Gaza City, with 25 wounded. AFP images showed displaced Gazans streaming northwards from areas around Gaza City where they had been sheltering, some flashing the victory sign.
But others saw their plans to return home thwarted by the delay of the ceasefire. "I was on my way home with my family when we heard the sound of bombing," said Mohammed Baraka, 36.
"We can't reach our house; the situation is dangerous. I don't know what to do. I feel frustrated and devastated." The initial exchange was to see three Israeli hostages released from captivity in return for a first group of Palestinian prisoners.
The truce was to take effect on the eve of Trump's inauguration for a second term as president of the United States. Trump, who claimed credit for the ceasefire deal, after months of effort by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, told US network NBC on Saturday that he had told Netanyahu that the war "has to end". "
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
