to be able to what i want you to be able to do right now is just see and hear exactly what is happening, those live pictures of the gaza skyline. let's listen and hear if that goes quiet as we expect. there are still i think the faint sound of a drone in the sky, exactly seven o'clock here in southern israel, you are live with us here on bbc news, live with us here on bbc news, live pictures as well of rafah. we expect extra humanitarian aid to pass through the rafah crossing as part of this hostage deal which should now have come into effect, beginning with this ceasefire. there are four pillars but we expect to see over the next four days, this deal which has been negotiated between israel

and hamas, which has been brokered by qatar. what will happen is this ceasefire, this is part one. what we're seeing and hearing now, the first time that the firing on gaza has stopped in the last seven weeks, don't forget this all began on 7 october here in southern israel where i am talking to you now when hamas members broke through the borderfence that the members broke through the border fence that the perimeter fence from gaza into southern israel and carried out those brutal attacks in communities here, communities like this one in sderot where i am talking to you from this morning where they killed and murdered around 1200 israelis soldiers, families, men, women and children, many of them shot and tortured in their own homes, and since then we have seen this ongoing, i can still hear what i am talking the occasional sounds of explosions across in gaza. we are supposed to be in the ceasefire moment just now so even as we're

talking i'm listening to what is happening across there, as you are as well, you are with us live on bbc news, we've had this fighting and seen this fierce fighting that's been going on for nearly seven weeks now. it began with those constant air strikes that we saw by the israeli air force on gaza and then we had the launch of that ground operation where israel's troops moved into this area that you can see now and these live pictures, this is these live pictures, this is the north and northeast of the gaza strip, gaza city which is in the north is very much hamas's stronghold, israel have made it very clear that that is the area that they've been targeting berwick, their efforts to try and remove hamas from gaza completely and in fact what israel did was they requested that palestinians in gaza moved to the south of the strip and that is not an easy thing to do. gaza is small, about 26 miles long, around six miles wide and what we have at the moment is many people who

lived in that area you can see on your screen just now, have been moved to the south of the gaza strip. conscious, just pausing because we can still hear the sound of sporadic explosions happening inside gaza. we are supposed to be in that ceasefire period just now, so are going to continue to monitorfor you here in monitor for you here in southern monitorfor you here in southern israel, looking out across gaza. so the four pillars of this are the ceasefire but are supposed to be happening out but we're still hearing the sounds of action inside gaza, there is the humanitarian element to watch this, i'll show you live pictures of rafah because we expect for the next four days around 200 trucks of humanitarian aid a day to cross from egypt into gaza through rafah. we are told importantly as well, four truckloads of fuel will pass into the gaza

strip, something that israel have been resisting for quite a long time. they say hamas may take and use this fuel against israeli forces as part of their operation against them. but this deal that's been arranged includes humanitarian aid and fuel and the point of all of this is to see the first real sizeable release of hostages who are being held by hamas inside gaza, more than 240 hostages who are being held there. we expect to see 50 of those hostages released in groups over the next four days. 13 of them are due to be released at four o'clock local time today and that woman be followed by a release of palestinian prisoners who are being held injails inside the occupied west bank. it is really controlled jails. again, thatis really controlled jails. again, that is supposed to happen in groups over the next four days or so. so this is something that we will be monitoring for

you of course throughout the day here on bbc news, continuing live coverage of what is one of the most significant moments as this will began on 7 october. continuing to show you these live pictures as well and you will still here as we're these occasional sounds of explosions that are happening inside gaza. we are now family inside spy period. it is five past seven in the morning here in israel and we are still hearing the occasional sounds of strikes. you can still see the smoke, thatis you can still see the smoke, that is live pictures that we're showing you of gaza, you can still see smoke that is rising quite strongly into the sky there. it is clear that the israel defense forces were continuing their operations inside gaza until the very last minute, for the last hour or so while i've been here at this point, we have seen and heard

continued military action, as i say, you can see very clearly those live pictures showing smoke on the horizon over gaza. they are supposed to be a four—day ceasefire which is taking a fact. for various reasons and one of them as it is a humanitarian pause, the ability to get some much—needed aid inside gaza, and to give the civilian population the opportunity to pause and regroup as we were saying, many of those are people, families who have been displaced from their homes, who have been living through this war, the constant sound and threat and sight of air strikes, so the idea from a humanitarian perspective was to give those civilians a few days of respite and hopefully from the israeli side to see the release of some of those children and women who have been held inside gaza for nearly seven weeks now. you can see that those live pictures

from gaza, this is gaza, seen from gaza, this is gaza, seen from my position here in southern israel. let's talk a little bit more than about this deal, about what has been arranged and about what we expect to see happen over the day—to—day. the foreign editor ofjewish newsjoins day—to—day. the foreign editor ofjewish news joins us. day—to—day. the foreign editor ofjewish newsjoins us. thank you forjoining us on bbc news this morning. breakdown for us, if you would, how we expect today to happen and what you have had and understand about the logistics of this hostage release. , ,., the logistics of this hostage release. , ., ., ., release. yes, so at about four pm local _ release. yes, so at about four pm localtime, _ release. yes, so at about four pm local time, the _ release. yes, so at about four pm local time, the first - release. yes, so at about four pm local time, the first 13 - pm local time, the first 13 hostages are set to be released and the red cross is supposed to facilitate the transfer of postures from hamas across the rafah border crossing and from there they will be transferred to israel where israel soldiers will identify them, we'll go

over the list they got, to check it is actually them, then they will be sent straight to hospitals where they will go under medical checks and there will be taken care of there. in the meantime when that happens, about 150 palestinian prisoners are ready to build released, not all at once, they are all to be released in batches, and they range from the age of 14 to 59, and some of them were members of hamas, some were members of hamas, some were members of hamas, some were members of islamichhad, and what they're convicted of is a range from stonethrowing to attempted manslaughter, so this is really what's going to happen on the hostage slush prisoner release side and you have the increased aid will come from the rafah border crossing into gaza, we're talking a couple of hundred trucks, it is still a bit unclear exactly how many trucks hamas sat around 200 so this is what is going to happen today but your life reporting is

everything, the fact that you still he operations ongoing in gazais still he operations ongoing in gaza is a really bad sign. we are past seven o'clock this morning, the ceasefire should be in place. it is not unusual i would say but it is not a good sign, let'sjust i would say but it is not a good sign, let's just be honest about that. good sign, let's 'ust be honest about that.— about that. even as we are talking. — about that. even as we are talking. you _ about that. even as we are talking, you can _ about that. even as we are talking, you can hear- about that. even as we are talking, you can hear the l about that. even as we are - talking, you can hear the sound of ongoing firing in the background. i also wonder as well, give us a bit more perspective about the fact that these hostages are being held, we have got a whole range of people from very young children, women, men, elderly members of the community as well who are all being held inside gaza. just the impact that that's really hard on the israeli consciousness because of course wherever you go in this country use interfaces, you hear the names, this has had a huge and deeperfact, people say regularly that, i have spent a lot of time working in israel, it is a

small country, everybody knows somebody who was affected on seventh october, don't they? absolutely, this is a twofold trauma, a massacre on 7 october and a ongoing trauma, the hostage situation. it is unprecedented in israeli history to have that many people held by enemy, especially an enemy like hamas and especially with kids, we had a five—month, sorry, 10—month in gaza, toddlers, so people here inside sderot waiting for anything, good news about their relatives, have simply been on the age of 49 days now. not only have they been full of anxiety and anger and rage against hamas, they've also been angry with the government, many of them have been demonstrating, they have simply accused the government of not doing enough to get their loved ones out, many were also like to see prem and esther netanyahu resigned but thatis esther netanyahu resigned but that is a completely different

issue. it is a range of people, we have entire families of hostages by a hamas, some of whom will likely be torn apart because it only women and children who are being released which means that man will still be in there, fathers will still be in there, fathers will still be in there, so it's a horrific situation and a dilemma for any government to make a decision about hostages that will be separate from their families. it is an important point you make there is well because while we talk about this hostage release, 50 hostages over the course of four days, we know already, we don't know publicly the identity of who will be released but we know that they are all women and children and i've been talking to hostage families where their loved ones that are being held inside gaza are man and they know that they will not be released as part of these groups, they know that they still need to continue to wait and hope and that is enormously difficult moment for them, isn't it? ~ ,,., , difficult moment for them, isn't it? ~ , ., �* isn't it? absolutely and i'd also say —

isn't it? absolutely and i'd also say that _ isn't it? absolutely and i'd also say that this - isn't it? absolutely and i'd also say that this is - isn't it? absolutely and i'd also say that this is an - also say that this is an entirely popular deal. many family members and israelis in general think the government does not have the mandate to basically divide people and to make a list and say you are good enough to come out and you are not. many people are very supportive. they say you cannot accept that hamas dictates your terms, it is either all hostages released one. i would say in general # released or nine. i would say there is a more public support of this, i would say i have met people —— people against it but most people against it but most people i speak to, ultimately they say yes, of course, children and women should be released first but it is a bittersweet feeling. it feels like you are surrendering to hamas and also one thing i want to add here, some people have become speculative in the coming four days, that four—day

ceasefire, you'll start to see images and videos of the hamas leader who will suddenly reappear as he sometimes does shrimp panels above the ground and he will march on the streets of southern gaza and he would be hailed as a hero. those images could be potentially extremely damaging to the families who have lost people on 7 october but also to the government who insisted it will assassinate every single hamas leader whether in gaza or abroad. ., ~ , ., ., hamas leader whether in gaza or abroad. . ~' ., ., abroad. thank you for “oining us on but abroad. thank you for “oining us on bbc news. h abroad. thank you forjoining us on bbc news. foreign - abroad. thank you forjoining i us on bbc news. foreign editor ofjewish news. you will live with us here in southern israel and you see these pictures of what's happening in gaza. still the very large plume of smoke on the skyline here, black and grey smoke that is rising into the sky, 14 minutes after the ceasefire was due to take effect this morning. i say you

to there is no official suggestion saying the ceasefire has been broken but as you listen to a stalk you can see in the background the occasional sound of small arms fire, without explosion still coming from inside gaza, things are peaceful and quiet at the moment because this is an important step, this is the beginning of this deal which will run notjust drop the day—to—day but over the next four days which begins with the ceasefire, with the cessation of hostilities and firing inside gaza, it moves on to additional humanitarian aid being allowed into gaza through rafah from egypt, we are told 200 trucks a day of humanitarian aid potentially along with some fuel as well. as we move through the day today, we expect to see if all goes according to plan a four o'clock local time this afternoon the release of the first group of hostages, again, another explosion there inside gaza, the release of the first group of hostages, 13 of them

we are told women and children who will be brought from gaza back into israel. once that happened there will be a two—hour period during which israel needs to release palestinian prisoners were being held inside his jails. that is the plan for the next four days, but is the deal that has been negotiated between israel and hamas, brokered by qatar and of course throughout the day here on bbc news we will follow story as it develops, as it unfolds to you and also getting the important reaction and context and of course at the heart of yesterday are those hostages. children, women and men sometimes whole family is taken from southern israel into gaza by hamas as part of those attacks on october seven. let's get reaction to what is happening right now from one of those family members.

let's talk to lior peri. thank you for your time. this has been an enormously difficult few weeks. your father is being held inside gaza. as a male, we know he won't be coming out as part of his first group over four days but put into words if it is possible the emotions you and other hostage families are going through right now. good mornint. going through right now. good morning- the _ going through right now. good morning. the best _ going through right now. good morning. the best way - going through right now. good morning. the best way to - morning. the best way to describe it is hope. it doesn't matter if my father won't, today or the day after, this whole process of negotiation gives us huge hope for the future. it shows us that there is hope that he will be

released soon. we are happy with every deal our government connection —— can achieve. and hopefully if it is possible we are urging them to continue the work and bring all of them back home. ., , ., work and bring all of them back home. . i. ., work and bring all of them back home. . ., ., , work and bring all of them back home. . . . , ., work and bring all of them back home. . ., ., ., home. have you had any word at all about him _ home. have you had any word at all about him or _ home. have you had any word at all about him or his _ home. have you had any word at all about him or his condition - all about him or his condition from inside gaza? we know four hostages have been released so far. able to give some information to the authorities. have they come at you know anything about when he is and how he is?— how he is? no. one of the hostages _ how he is? no. one of the hostages have _ how he is? no. one of the hostages have been - how he is? no. one of the i hostages have been released how he is? no. one of the - hostages have been released and she told us she saw him and he was alive. we have no clue

about how he is. he is in a group of 27 elderly people who are really running out of time. we know the condition is not easy. underground and hard to breathe and we are also afraid to of the community will not be able to return. it has been too late for them now.— late for them now. this deal has been — late for them now. this deal has been a _ late for them now. this deal has been a long _ late for them now. this deal has been a long time - late for them now. this deal has been a long time in - has been a long time in negotiations, taken many weeks. we were told it has been closed before and now does finally seem to be happening. we know all families have different opinions about how this is

being handled and whether it could or should have happen faster. what are your thoughts on the deal? {lit faster. what are your thoughts on the deal?— on the deal? of course i think it should _ on the deal? of course i think it should have _ on the deal? of course i think it should have happened - on the deal? of course i think. it should have happened faster. it could have happened faster and earlier. but this is what my government is in control of. i am backing them and i am for it, of course. i urge them to do more. the deal, i believe they try to achieve the best deal. the bigger deal and faster deal. but i know they have limitations. and they are working against an enemy that are very unreliable. i hope they achieved the best they can do. i urge them now not to go back to the fighting after this

deal is done. to take advantage of this channel they managed to open. given it will happen. and continue until using all the hostages. it is only a small part of the end goal. it is just the beginning. as i see it, they are not allowed to go back to the war until they managed to free all the hostages. managed to free all the hostages-— managed to free all the hostates. . , . . , hostages. that is a really interesting _ hostages. that is a really interesting point - hostages. that is a really interesting point because hostages. that is a really - interesting point because the door has been left open for this to continue. the way it is supposed to happen is over the next four days is the release of around 50 hostages and around 150 palestinian prisoners released from israeli jails. a list of 300 palestinian names have been published. israel said for every ten additional hostages

released, they will be an extra 24 hours the ceasefire. the conditions have been put in place. equally, israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu has been cleared this war will not end until hamas has been removed entirely from gaza. it is difficult to predict in these situations. how likely do you think it is we will see a more permanent change in status after these four days are over? from what i have learned, it is better to judge the government by their actions and not their words. forsome by their actions and not their words. for some reason, they managed to do some really questionable things on the evening. during the deal they managed to come up with very strange things. i'm notjudging by what they said and only what they do. and given they will

believe hostages, urge them to continue to try and take up more people. to say we can continue if you want the ceasefire to continue, if you what humanitarian aid to continue. i think they should really try to take advantage of this situation. because i am afraid that once the fighting returns, it will be even more difficult to go back to a ceasefire situation in order to get more hostages. i also know they will have problems from they will have problems from the inside the government to approve it again. seeing how difficult it was for them to approve it this time. i difficult it was for them to approve it this time.- approve it this time. i am grateful _ approve it this time. i am grateful for _ approve it this time. i am grateful for your- approve it this time. i am grateful for your time, i approve it this time. i am i grateful for your time, thank gratefulfor your time, thank you so much forjoining us and i know there are many families

in similar situations. some of those families, a small number of families who know today their loved ones are due to be released and there are those hoping for release over the next few days. and families like yours who know this might not be the moment they will see their loved ones right now because we know men over the age of 18 or 20 are not part of this initial hostage release deal. we bring you reaction from families about the day here on bbc news. we will bring you reaction to the humanitarian situation of elements as well. i want to bring you now as we continue to see his life pictures of the skyline over gaza some reaction from palestinians inside gaza on the ceasefire. these people were in where so many people have been displaced. many in the north of gaza have been displaced to the south, the

major city there now where people are living often intense with families. the humanitarian situation is very difficult. this is what people are the main hospital had to say. it is true i happy there is a truth and ceasefire. but the issue as we as residents of the north were uprooted because of the bombardment and won't be able to go back to our homes. it is a tragedy. we want to see our homes, the markers, the injured, we want to see our children left behind because we hope this truth is extended and everyone can go back home. it would be better if the truce lasted and conditions went back to where they were. if lasted and conditions went back to where they were.— to where they were. if people went back _ to where they were. if people went back to _ to where they were. if people went back to the _ to where they were. if people went back to the latin - to where they were. if people | went back to the latin homes. whoever— went back to the latin homes. whoever lost their home, got compensated. but meadows monitored rest in peace meadows injured _ monitored rest in peace meadows injured recover. may monitored rest in peace meadows injured recover-— injured recover. may god bring comfort to _ injured recover. may god bring comfort to people _ injured recover. may god bring comfort to people and - injured recover. may god bring comfort to people and know i injured recover. may god bring i comfort to people and know what destruction— comfort to people and know what destruction of— comfort to people and know what destruction of homes. _ comfort to people and know what destruction of homes. people - comfort to people and know what destruction of homes. people 's i destruction of homes. people 's homes — destruction of homes. people 's homes collapsed _ destruction of homes. people 's homes collapsed on _ destruction of homes. people 's

homes collapsed on top - destruction of homes. people 's homes collapsed on top of- destruction of homes. people 'si homes collapsed on top of them, they were — homes collapsed on top of them, they were displaced, _ homes collapsed on top of them, they were displaced, left - homes collapsed on top of them, they were displaced, left in - homes collapsed on top of them, they were displaced, left in a - they were displaced, left in a panic. — they were displaced, left in a panic. they— they were displaced, left in a panic, they lost _ they were displaced, left in a panic, they lost their- they were displaced, left in a| panic, they lost their houses, money, — panic, they lost their houses, money, pronerty, _ panic, they lost their houses, | money, property, everything. some thoughts from inside gaza this morning. as it has become a lot whiter now. if you have been with us from seven o'clock local time in gaza where the ceasefire took hold. we heard occasional explosions continuing from around ten or 15 minutes after that but things now seemed to have quietened down. we will keep showing you these life pictures. you can see on screen is the view from gaza in southern israel this morning and you can see the view of rafah, ambulances lined up. the ceasefire is one of the four pillars of the steel put the transfer of extra humanitarian aid inside gaza is another. the release of hostages we expect to happen later at four o'clock

later time and following that the release of palestinian prisoners from israeli jails. which also to happen later today. if that all goes to according to plan, we expect to see this replicated or a four day period resulting in the lives of around 50 hostages from inside gaza and around 150 palestinians being held in israeli jails. let's look at a little bit more at the humanitarian element of all of this. that much—needed aid due to expand and increase into gaza from today. joining me now is hiba tibi, the west bank and gaza country director for care international. she is in ramallah. welcome and thank you for your time. let's talk more about the importance, august through the numbers because of the first part of this war, there were no drops of humanitarian aid going in to rafah adult. how does

this make the humanitarian need in gaza at the moment?- in gaza at the moment? thank ou so in gaza at the moment? thank you so much — in gaza at the moment? thank you so much for— in gaza at the moment? thank you so much for this _ in gaza at the moment? thank you so much for this question. | you so much for this question. over the last period, the numbers were much less. 200 is very welcome. a bigger number, a good one. still not enough. not enough overfour days a good one. still not enough. not enough over four days and not not based on the daily requirements for the people to correspond their needs, immediate needs of the people in gaza. all the humanitarian actors are on standby. awaiting inside gaza and outside gaza. there are some supplies we are trying to secure from inside gaza. it means it can be safely transported and distributed. the truce for some is a moment for people respite and for us, it is a chance to restore lives, dignity and maybe

contribute to a better tomorrow. a safer one. and for the people in gaza to secure possible to have a look at what is the level of their personal losses. maybe berry bodies. also secure access to certain necessities there were not able to secure. necessities there were not able to secure-— to secure. let's go back for a moment _ to secure. let's go back for a moment to _ to secure. let's go back for a moment to the _ to secure. let's go back for a moment to the time - to secure. let's go back for a moment to the time before l to secure. let's go back for a i moment to the time before the seventh of october. before these terrible attacks in israel and before this particular war began. the humanitarian situation in gaza was already enormously difficult, wasn't it? if we take, if— difficult, wasn't it? if we take, if we _ difficult, wasn't it? if we take, if we go _ difficult, wasn't it? if we take, if we go back - difficult, wasn't it? if we take, if we go back in i difficult, wasn't it? if we - take, if we go back in history, you will see the unfortunately in gaza there was many restrictions in terms of potential development or resilience building. at the same time access to basic needs for that it includes water. as you have seen, water was one of the major issues that is

influencing the possibility of lives and the other spread of diseases on people in gaza. it was as dangerous or even more dangerous than the bombing. unfortunately, 97% of the water in gaza was not drinkable. the infrastructure in gaza was not as strong. unfortunately, also because of different practices, agriculture and land were not, it would require extra effort so they could be producing similar to so they could be producing similarto any so they could be producing similar to any other agricultural capabilities inside the west bank or in israel or surrounding areas. and the restrictions imposed on imports and exports made it very difficult for any economy

to grow competitive other areas possibly compared to the west bank. what we have seen over the years is inside gaza, working with entrepreneurs, with farmers, with hospitals, with farmers, with hospitals, with medical teams, we have seen there is a huge hope inside the people that pushes them to do more. to troy mora. this is something that gives us as militant organisations with development aid to continue and support. this is the same case in this current moment with the beginning of the moore they truce. people are so tired, this at least we're going to sleep but are still eager to for the future and ensure something they can make their tomorrow a little easier compared to what they have left in the last week.

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