Gaza Ceasefire to Begin Early Sunday Morning Amid Hostage and Prisoner Exchange Deal

Qatar Announces Ceasefire Timeline
A long-awaited ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip will come into effect at 0630 GMT (8:30 a.m. local time) on Sunday, January 19, Qatar's foreign ministry announced on Saturday. The Gulf nation, which played a crucial mediating role, advised Gaza residents to exercise caution and follow official instructions during the transition to peace.

Prisoner and Hostage Exchange: Key Details
As part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, Israel will release 737 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including women and children. This will be matched by the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, with Hamas confirming the exchange mechanism depends on the numbers freed.

Among those set to be released by Israel are prominent figures such as Zakaria Zubeidi, a former armed wing chief of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party, and Khalida Jarar, a leftist Palestinian lawmaker detained without charge since December.

Hamas has also indicated that the first group of hostages to be freed will include three young Israeli women, though definitions vary as the group considers anyone of military age a soldier.

Ceasefire Approval Process
The Israeli cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, approved the ceasefire and exchange deal early Saturday after days of negotiations. The approval puts an end to uncertainty about the truce's start date, though tensions remain high.

Background and Humanitarian Relief
The truce comes after a devastating 15-month war that has claimed over 46,000 Palestinian lives and displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s population. Israeli airstrikes have continued to pound Gaza even after the ceasefire announcement, with at least 86 Palestinians killed in the last 24 hours.

Humanitarian aid is expected to surge into Gaza once the truce begins. Trucks loaded with supplies have been waiting in the Egyptian town of El-Arish to cross into the besieged territory. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States are hopeful the agreement will stabilize the region and allow for much-needed reconstruction efforts.

Key Figures in the Prisoner Swap

The list of Palestinian prisoners includes high-profile detainees such as Zubeidi and Jarar, both hailed as heroes in Palestinian society. Their release has sparked widespread anticipation and emotional reactions from their supporters.

Meanwhile, the first batch of hostages to be freed includes three Israeli women under 30 who were civilians at the time of their capture. Justice ministry officials have stated that the exact number of prisoners to be exchanged will depend on the number of hostages released alive.

Celebrations and Precautions

Despite the ongoing bombings, celebrations broke out in Gaza following the announcement. Families expressed hope that the truce would bring relief after months of relentless violence. "This nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end," said Randa Sameeh, a Gaza resident displaced from her hometown.

As Gaza prepares for the ceasefire, hopes for peace are tempered by the memories of destruction and loss, leaving residents cautiously optimistic about what the future holds.