The Israeli Army Radio said on Sunday that a ceasefire in Gaza set for 8:30 a.m. local time was going to be late. They said it would only happen after they got a list of hostages who would be let go. Hamas, a Palestinian group, said the delay was because of “technical and logistical reasons” making it clear the process wasn’t as simple as planned. The ceasefire was supposed to be temporary the length of which would depend on what was agreed.
Even though things were delayed Hamas said on Sunday they still wanted the ceasefire deal with Israel. They said they were “committed to the truce agreement as it was presented by the brothers in Qatar and Egypt.” Hamas is saying they want to keep the deal as set up by those two countries even with the problems. The deal was meant to stop fighting but making it happen is proving to be hard.
Things are still changing as both sides try to make the deal work. The delay shows just how complicated and delicate this conflict is. Not having the hostage list is making the exact timing and steps of the ceasefire unclear. Hamas says they’ll stick to the deal but the slow start is a problem and could be worrying for everyone involved.