It seemed like a done deal, but today a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the release of hostages is just a fragile promise. The two sides reached an agreement to stop the fighting in Gaza as of Thursday morning, November 23, and exchange 50 Israeli hostages for 150 Palestinian prisoners. Instead, both the ceasefire and the exchange will not take place until tomorrow, Friday.
Hamas hostages no one talks about
Hamas had announced that the cessation of Israeli raids would begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday (9 a.m. Italian time), but there was no official confirmation from Jerusalem. Hours later, Israel’s national security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi stated that the release of the hostages “will not happen before Friday.” It’s a cold shower for families and international diplomacy, but he assured that “contacts towards the release of our detainees continue and are constantly progressing.”
The agreement reached through the mediation of Qatar, the USA and Egypt should give the Palestinian people some respite and facilitate access to humanitarian aid. Israel has published a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners who could be released. These include 33 women, 123 young people and 144 young people around the age of 18, including 49 Hamas members. Israeli officials announced that if the ceasefire is extended, the prisoner exchange may continue with a total of 100 hostages and 300 Palestinian prisoners. The exchange must take place through the Rafah crossing point between Egypt and the Strip.
The agreement also stipulates that at least 300 trucks of aid, including fuel, will be directed to Gaza through the Rafah gate per day, and that Palestinians displaced in the south will be banned from returning to the north of the Strip and will be stopped by Israel. Reconnaissance drones fly for 6 hours during the 4/5 day ceasefire. It was announced that at the end of this period, the Israeli army will fully continue its attack on the Strip.
While the ceasefire was awaited, the war continued on the field. Israel said it had destroyed nearly 400 tunnels “located under civilian structures, including residential buildings, schools, hospitals and other locations” in the Strip since the conflict began. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between militia and civilians, deaths in Gaza reached 14,532, with 35,000 injured and 7,000 missing.
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
