Qatar says Gaza ceasefire to begin Friday morning, with aid to follow 'as soon as possible'

A four-day cease-fire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas was set to begin Friday morning, Qatar said after a daylong delay extended agony for those hoping for some relief from deal, which is to bring release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

diplomatic breakthrough promised some relief for 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, as well as families in Israel fearful for fate of ir loved ones taken captive during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack that triggered war.

cease-fire was originally set to begin Thursday morning, but it appeared to hit a snag night before when Israel's national security viser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced a one-day delay without providing a reason.

On Thursday, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari announced cease-fire will start at 7 a.m. local time Friday (5 a.m. GMT).

He said two sides h exchanged lists of those to be released, and first group of 13 women and children held by Hamas would be freed Friday afternoon. He did not say how many Palestinian prisoners would be freed, but officials have said three would be freed for every hostage.

Increased aid for Palestinians will start to enter Gaza “as soon as possible,” al-Ansari said. hope is that “momentum” from this deal will le to an “end to this violence," he told reporters.

RISING TOLL IN GAZA Israeli airstrikes continued Thursday. In afternoon, a strike leveled a residential building in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. At least 12 people were killed, according to officials at nearby Al-Aqsa Hospital.

One resident, Hosni Moharib, said his wife and several children were killed and or relatives remained buried under rubble.

“It exploded on house, striking babies and young children. Everyone in house, y are all de,” he said, bursting into tears.

Israeli bombardment, now in its seventh week, has killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, according to Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, which resumed its detailed count of casualties in Gaza from war. ministry h stopped publishing casualty counts since Nov. 11, saying it h lost ability to do so because of health system's collapse in north, new numbers were not fully broken down, but women and minors have consistently me up around two-thirds of de. figures do not include updated numbers from hospitals in north. ministry says some 6,000 people have been reported missing, feared buried under rubble.

ministry does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its death tolls. Israel says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, without presenting evidence for its count.

NETANYAHU SAYS TRUCE WON'T END WAR truce agreement raised hopes of eventually winding down war, which has leveled vast swaths of Gaza, fueled a surge of violence in occupied West Bank and stirred fears of a wider conflagration across Middle East.

Air-raid sirens sounded across norrn Israel on Thursday as Hezbollah said it fired 48 Katyusha rockets from sourn Lebanon. barrage came after an Israeli strike killed five Hezbollah fighters, including son of he of group's parliamentary bloc.

Israeli military said it was striking sources of launches. Israel and Hezbollah, which fought a monthlong war in 2006, have repeatedly tred fire across border since war in Gaza broke out.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue war after truce expires to destroy Hamas' military capabilities, end its 16-year rule in Gaza and return all estimated 240 captives held in Gaza by Hamas and or groups.

“We will continue it until we achieve all our goals,” Netanyahu said, ding that he h delivered same message in a phone call to U.S. President Joe Biden. Washington has provided extensive military and diplomatic support to Israel since start of war.

In Gaza's city of Khan Younis, Palestinians welcomed respite of upcoming cease-fire but said four days would do little to relieve humanitarian disaster caused by war.

“God willing, it becomes a total cease-fire,” said Jihan Qanan. “People have h houses brought down on ir hes, y've been expelled ... re's no homes, no money, no possessions. whole world is wrecked.” SURROUNDING JABALIYA Israeli military said combat operations would continue until it was ordered to hold fire, and chief spokesman Rear m. Daniel Hagari said troops would remain in place during truce. Israeli forces hold much of norrn Gaza, where y say y have dismantled tunnels and much of Hamas' infrastructure re.

military said it has surrounded Jabaliya refugee camp and called on any residents inside to evacuate Thursday. military has said it is pursuing Hamas fighters in Jabaliya, a dense urban district jacent to Gaza City that has been heavily bombarded for weeks.

military said Thursday it detained director of Gaza City's Shifa Hospital, Mohammed Abu Selmia, for questioning over his involvement in what it called “extensive” Hamas activities in hospital. Gaza's Health Ministry condemned Abu Selmia's arrest and called on international bodies to intervene.

A day earlier, Israel showed a tunnel and rooms that military officials said were a major Hamas hideout beneath Shifa. Hamas and hospital staff deny Israeli allegations that Shifa was used as a militant command center. Hagari said Israel has mapped out Shifa Hospital and plans to destroy all “terror infrastructure" it has found.

Ahmed El-Mokhallalati, a plastic surgeon working at Shifa, said 150 patients are still re, with only two doctors, a nurse and three volunteer workers to care for m. “My colleagues and I are unable to continue providing treatment to patients," El-Mokhallalati said on X.

Israel has threatened to extend its invasion to sourn Gaza, where most of territory's population is now located. More than 1 million people, including hundreds of thousands who fled north, have crammed into overflowing U.N.-run shelters with dwindling food, water and basic supplies.

For Hamas, cease-fire would provide an opportunity to regroup after weeks of apparently heavy losses. Hamas leer Yehya Sinwar, who is believed to be alive and in hiding in Gaza, is likely to claim release of Palestinian prisoners as a major achievement and declare victory if war ends.

HOSTAGES TO BE FREED IN STAGES Under truce deal, 50 hostages are supposed to be freed in stages, in exchange for release of what Hamas said would be 150 Palestinian prisoners. Women and children would be released first, and Israel said truce would be extended an extra day for every ditional 10 hostages freed.

return of hostages could lift spirits in Israel, where ir plight has gripped country. Families of hostages have staged mass demonstrations to pressure government to bring m home. Netanyahu's office said it notified families of hostages listed for release Friday.

Hamas said 200 trucks a day will enter Gaza carrying aid. Qatar said aid will include fuel, but has given no details on quantities.

Israel cut off all imports at start of war, except for a trickle of food, water and medical supplies allowed in from Egypt. lack of fuel has caused a territory-wide blackout, leaving homes and hospitals reliant on faltering generators.

Israel's Justice Ministry published a list of 300 prisoners eligible to be released, mainly teenagers detained over past year for rock-throwing and or minor offenses.

war erupted when several thousand Hamas militants stormed into sourn Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking scores of hostages, including babies, women and older ults, as well as soldiers, for whom Hamas is expected to demand a large number of high-profile prisoners.