No Gaza hostage release before Friday, Israel and the U.S. say. Family members’ expectations that some captives might be liberated on Thursday were dashed when Israel’s national security adviser and the United States announced that the release of prisoners under a temporary truce between Israel and Palestinian Hamas terrorists would not occur until Friday.

Early on Wednesday, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement to release at least 50 hostages held by militants in the enclave and allow humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza for a minimum of four days in return for at least 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

The formal announcement of the start of the truce and the release of the prisoners taken by Hamas during its raid on Israel on October 7 has not yet been made. According to an Egyptian security source, the mediators had requested a start time of 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Thursday.

Majid bin Mohammed Al Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry, stated on Thursday morning that an announcement on the start of the truce may be made in the coming hours. In the talks for the ceasefire, Qatar has been acting as a mediator.

Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi stated, “The negotiations on the release of our hostages are advancing and continuing constantly,” in a statement from the prime minister’s office.

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

According to White House spokesman Adrienne Watson, final preparations were being made for the release’s logistics. “That is on track, and we are hopeful that implementation will begin on Friday morning,” Watson stated.

However, according to sources, there was no respite from the violence early on Thursday. According to Palestinian media, at least two rounds of Israeli artillery and aircraft shelled Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing fifteen civilians. There have also been reports of attacks in the Jabalia and Nuseirat camps, among other areas of Gaza.

Israel said that throughout the previous day, Israeli troops launched airstrikes on more than 300 Hamas sites. Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports. According to the IDF, sirens in Israeli villages close to the enclave’s border began to sound, alerting residents to impending rocket fire from Gaza. No injuries or damage were reported.

According to Israel’s national channel Kan, which quoted an unnamed Israeli source, the ceasefire was delayed by 24 hours as Hamas and mediator Qatar did not sign the accord. The representative expressed optimism that the agreement would be implemented after signing it.

“Aside from the media, nobody announced that a release would occur tomorrow. Because of the worry that the relatives of the hostages are dealing with, we had to clarify that no release is scheduled until Friday,” Kan cited a source in the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli media stated that the ceasefire with Hamas would not begin before Friday, citing unnamed officials. According to the Israeli news website Ynet, Israel has not yet been given the names of the hostages that Hamas plans to free.

Five captives have been found alive after the Hamas attack on southern Israel, which startled the Israeli authorities and frightened the people. Israel claims that 1,200 people were slain, the majority of them civilians, and that Islamist militants had kidnapped roughly 240 captives of various nationalities.

Israel’s reprisal has included a siege and constant bombing of Gaza, which Hamas governs. Approximately 40% of the dead in Gaza are youngsters, with over 14,000 people having died overall, according to medical experts there.

‘THOUGHT THAT THEY ARE ALIVE’

At a news conference late on Wednesday, Netanyahu did not mention a possible delay in implementing the accord. The press conference ended roughly an hour after Hanegbi’s remarks were made public.

“We must find out if they are still alive and in good health. It’s the bare minimum,” remarked Gilad Korngold, who admitted that the agreement reached by Israel and Hamas gave him just a little amount of comfort and that he was still waiting to hear from family members. He was kidnapped along with seven other family members, including his 3-year-old granddaughter.

“I desire the return of all individuals.” Though it’s a tough choice, I believe women and children must come first. They must go since they are highly vulnerable.

Additionally, according to White House national security secretary John Kirby, the United States believes that considerable supplies will arrive in Gaza in the coming days.

According to Netanyahu’s administration, the 50 captives would be freed over four days, at least ten per day. It said the ceasefire may be prolonged daily until ten more captives are let loose.

Israel’s justice ministry released a list of 300 names of Palestinian inmates eligible for release. 150 Palestinian women and children who are detained in Israel will be exchanged for the first 50 captives, according to Hamas. According to Hamas, Israel would stop all airstrikes over southern Gaza and uphold a daily six-hour window during which no aircraft may fly in the north. At the same time, hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian, medical, and fuel supplies would enter Gaza.

The first ceasefire in a nearly seven-week conflict was achieved through Qatari mediation, and governments everywhere hope it will lessen the suffering of Gaza Strip residents.

UNICEF’s chief, Catherine Russell, told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that Gaza is the “most dangerous place in the world to be a child.” Russell added that since October 7, there have been more than 5,300 deaths of Palestinian youngsters.