TEL AVIV — The entry into force of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip was delayed Sunday morning after Israeli officials said Hamas had not yet provided a list of hostages planned to be released under a ceasefire agreed days earlier.

The ceasefire is expected to take effect at 8:30 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. ET). But IDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said in an on-camera statement at the time that the ceasefire would not be in effect "as long as Hamas fails to live up to its commitments" on the instructions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The IDF will continue to operate in Gaza for now as long as Hamas does not comply with the agreement and its provisions," he said.

It had earlier warned that the ceasefire would not begin until Israel had the first list of freed hostages. Hamas said in a statement early Sunday morning that it remained committed to the truce and said the delay was due to "technical reasons on the ground." It was not expanded further.

The ceasefire is expected to halt Israeli attacks that have killed more than 46,800 Palestinians and left much of the enclave in ruins, according to local health officials, and also meant long spells of detention by Hamas The hostages will be gradually released. 15 months, and the release of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli custody.

Under the first phase of the plan, 33 hostages will be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. At least two Americans, Saji Dekker-Chan and Keith Siegel, are expected to be among the first to be released, with fellow dual citizen Edan Alexander also set to be released in the second phase of the ceasefire.

The three hostages will be released on Sunday, according to the Israeli government. For every hostage released, 30 Palestinian prisoners were released - 50 if the hostages were soldiers.

Israel's attack on Gaza marked a significant escalation in the decades-long conflict after a Hamas-led terror attack on October 7, 2023 left about 1,200 people dead and 251 people taken hostage, according to Israeli officials. The attack shattered Israel's sense of security, and the plight of the hostages and their families became an open national wound.

The Gaza war and its devastating civilian toll have thrust the plight of Palestinians into international headlines and prompted international condemnation of Israel. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Hamas military chief Mohammed Dave on suspicion of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

A total of 94 people captured and brought to Gaza on October 7, 2023 are believed to be held by Hamas, in addition to four people detained by Hamas since 2014. At least 34 of them were held hostage during Hamas operations. The leader of the attack is understood to have died, as have two of the abductees captured in 2014.

The ceasefire is expected to halt more than a year of ferocious Israeli bombing while also opening the door to much-needed aid, with up to 600 trucks entering the enclave daily, according to the World Health Organization. Shortages of food, medicine and fuel, coupled with deadly violence, have created an escalating humanitarian crisis characterized by widespread hunger and disease.

Nearly 740 Palestinian prisoners and 1,167 Palestinians held in Gaza since the war began are expected to be released in exchange for hostages, expected to include children.

If the ceasefire does go as planned, it will bring relief, and possibly closure, to the families of hostages trapped in horrific and dangerous conditions in the enclave, as well as Palestinian families whose loved ones are detained by the Israeli military.

The second phase of negotiations is expected to begin on the 16th day of the first phase. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the goal of this round of negotiations is to "end the war for good."