Surprise Delay In Israeli Hostages' Release; No Pause In Gaza Fighting As Ceasefire Deal On Hold

The Israeli government made a surprise announcement about its deal with Hamas. A top aide to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the highly anticipated release of the first group of 50 hostages would not take place on Thursday, as previously announced. The Israeli National Security Council chief said hostages release has been delayed until Friday. This means that there will be no pause in Gaza fighting until the time deal is finalised. This report has details on what could have led to the delay.