Israel-Hamas truce begins, hostages to be released

GAZA CITY - A four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war began on Friday, with hostages set to be released in exchange for prisoners in the first major reprieve in seven weeks of war that have claimed thousands of lives.

The two sides had agreed to silence guns and stop bombings from 7am in a conflict that erupted after Hamas's murderous raids into Israel on October 7.

As part of the agreement, 13 women and children held hostage in Gaza are due to be freed at 4pm, followed by a number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, according to Qatari mediators.

Over the four days, at least 50 hostages are expected to be released, leaving an estimated 190 in the hands of Palestinian militants.

In exchange, 150 Palestinians prisoners are expected to be released.

For Gaza's two million-plus residents, the deal brings a promise of respite from weeks of sustained Israeli bombardment.

The territory's Hamas government says the war has so far killed about 15,000 people and displaced countless more.

Around 15 minutes after the truce began, sirens warning of incoming rockets sounded in several communities along Israel's border with Gaza, the Israeli military said, without providing further details.  

The exact number of casualties in the war is impossible to independently confirm, but for many Palestinian and Israeli families, the truce came too late.

Qatari officials said the "first batch" of 13 hostages released would be women and children from the same families.

Teams of Israeli trauma experts and medics await them -- along with specially trained soldiers who, according to guidelines, will promise to keep them safe.