Hamas says Israel ‘failed to achieve its aggressive goals’ in Gaza

Palestinian Territories: Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Saturday that Israel had “failed to achieve its aggressive goals” in Gaza, a day before the start of a ceasefire and hostage release deal it agreed with Israel.

Israel “only succeeded in committing war crimes that disgrace the dignity of humanity,” the group said in a statement.

A ceasefire in the Gaza war will begin Sunday morning at 0630 GMT, mediator Qatar said on Saturday after Israel’s cabinet voted to approve the truce and hostage-prisoner release deal.

The exact time of the ceasefire’s start had been unclear, though Israel had said no Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would be freed before late Sunday afternoon.

Qatar and the United States, which mediated the deal along with Egypt, had announced it on Wednesday and said it would take effect Sunday.

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

On Saturday, AFP photos showed Palestinians in the southern city of Khan Yunis mourning four members of a family killed in another Israeli strike.

Explosions were heard over Jerusalem Saturday morning 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 8:30 am on Sunday, January 19, local time in Gaza,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on X.

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

In more than 15 months of war between Hamas Palestinian militants and Israel, there has been only one previous truce, for one week, in November 2023. That deal also saw the release of hostages held by the militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.