Israel to release 737 prisoners in first phase of ceasefire deal

Hamas will return 33 hostages; second phase could bring an end to the war

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A ceasefire in the Gaza war will begin at 8.30am (2.30pm Singapore time) on Jan 19, mediator Qatar has said after Israel's Cabinet voted to approve the ceasefire and hostage-prisoner release deal.

However, Israel said no Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would be freed before late afternoon on Jan 19.

Qatar and the United States, which mediated the deal along with Egypt, had announced the agreement on Jan 15.

Following that announcement, Israeli bombardment of the territory killed at least 113 people, Gaza's civil defence rescue agency said on Jan 17, after Israel's military reported hitting about 50 targets in 24 hours.

A Palestinian militant spokesman said on Jan 18 that Israeli hostages' families should ask the Israeli military to stop intensified strikes in the final hours before a ceasefire takes effect as this "would be reason for killing their children".

The spokesman Abu Hamza is with the Al Quds Brigades armed wing of the Islamic Jihad group in Gaza. It holds Israeli hostages in addition to the ones held by the enclave's dominant militant movement Hamas.

Explosions were heard over Jerusalem on the morning of Jan 18 after warning sirens blared and the military said a projectile had been launched from Yemen, whose Iran-backed rebels say they support the Palestinians.

"As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8.30am on Sunday, Jan 19, local time in Gaza," Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said on X on Jan 18.

"We advise the inhabitants to take precaution, exercise the utmost caution, and wait for directions from official sources."