Qatar says truce in Gaza to start on Friday

Shutterstock [file picture]

A truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will start on Friday at 7:00 am (0500 GMT), with the first batch of hostages to be released at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT), a spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Majed Al-Ansari told reporters in Doha the lists of all civilians that would be released from Gaza had been agreed.

Qatar, which has been leading mediation efforts, also expects Palestinians to be released from Israeli jails as part of the deal.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day truce so that 50 women and children under the age of 19 taken hostage could be freed in return for 150 Palestinian women and teenagers in Israeli detention.

More from International News

  • American Cardinal Prevost elected new pope

    US Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the name Leo XIV, becoming the first American pontiff.

  • White smoke emerges, signalling new pope is elected

    White smoke appeared from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Thursday, signalling that the 133 Roman Catholic cardinals meeting in a secret conclave have elected a new pope.

  • Bill Gates to give away $200 billion by 2045

    Bill Gates has pledged to give away almost his entire personal wealth in the next two decades and said the world's poorest would receive some $200 billion via his foundation at a time when governments worldwide are slashing international aid.

  • Reports of explosions, blackout in India's Jammu

    Blasts rang out across the city of Jammu in Indian Kashmir late on Thursday during what Indian military sources said they suspected was a Pakistani drone attack on the second day of clashes between the two neighbours.

  • Ukraine's cities quiet as Kremlin-sponsored ceasefire kicks in

    A three-day ceasefire declared by Russia came into effect on Thursday morning with skies over Ukraine's major cities quiet, in a change from successive nights of heavy attacks by Russian drones and ballistic missiles.

News