They announced: In the next few hours... They're desperate: They are killing us VIDEO

They announced: In the next few hours... They're desperate: They are killing us VIDEO

The Israeli government and Hamas reached an agreement on Wednesday on a four-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

As agreed, Hamas will release 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners during the four days of the truce.

Although Hamas has announced that the ceasefire will begin at 10 a.m. today, Israel's National Security Council Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi says the first hostages will not be released before Friday.

Despite the agreement, the war continues until Israel fulfills its goals and achieves victory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized.

Hostage families desperate: They are killing us

A family member of a hostage held in Gaza says delays and changes in the deal to free their loved ones are taking a huge toll on the families' already battered emotions.

"These ups and downs are killing us," Diego Engelbert, whose sister Karina, son-in-law Ronen and their daughters Mika and Yuval are being held hostage, told Army Radio.

CNN: The decision to postpone the agreement until Friday was made by Israel with Qatar, Egypt and the US

The decision to delay the implementation of the hostage exchange agreement for one day, until Friday, was made by Israel together with Qatar and Egypt, and the US also participated in it, an unnamed senior U.S. official told CNN (CNN).

He pointed out that more time is needed to finalize the details and to prevent possible negative consequences.

According to the agreement, Hamas will, in the first phase, release 50 Israeli hostages, children, their mothers and other women, in exchange for a four-day cessation of fighting and the release of 150 Palestinians - women and teenagers - from Israeli prisons.