Gaza

Neither Palestinian prisoners nor hostages held by Hamas will be released until Friday, Israel’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said in a statement from Israel’s prime minister’s office. “Negotiations for the release of our prisoners are progressing and continuing all the time,” the statement said.  “The start of release will take place according to the original agreement between the parties and not before Friday.” Earlier, it was expected that the first hostages would be released by Hamas on Thursday.
      So far, there has been some uncertainty about when the agreement will enter into force.  On Wednesday night both sides confirmed that an agreement had been reached that would result in at least four days of ceasefire. In addition, at least 50 hostages were to be released, while at least 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel would also be released. It will be the first ceasefire in the war, which has lasted just under seven weeks. /ritzau/