No release of hostages before Friday and no pause in fighting, according to Israeli officials

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Israel’s national security adviser said late Wednesday that cease-fire talks with the Hamas militant group were still ongoing, and the hostage release will not take place before Friday.

Tzachi Hanegbi gave no explanation for the delay, and it was not immediately clear when the cease-fire might begin.

The cease-fire agreement between the Hamas militant group and Israel had earlier been confirmed by both parties, along with Washington and Qatar, which helped broker the deal that would bring a temporary halt to the devastating war that is now in its seventh week.

The Israeli government said that under an outline of the deal, Hamas will free over a four-day period at least 50 of the roughly 240 hostages taken in its 7 October attack on Israel, and Israel will release some Palestinian prisoners in exchange.

Egyptian state media say the truce will begin Thursday morning. Egypt helped mediate the cease-fire agreement, which would bring the first respite to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza, where more than 11,000 people have been killed, according to health authorities.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Wednesday he told US President Joe Biden that he will press ahead with the war after a cease-fire expires. Some 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial incursion by Hamas.