A four-day humanitarian pause was initiated in Gaza, marking a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, allowed for the release of at least 50 hostages during this period.
Commencing at 7 a.m. local time on the 49th day of the conflict that began on October 7, the deal stipulated the release of 13 hostages by Hamas at 4 p.m. on Friday, to be handed over to Egypt. In return, Israel committed to releasing 150 Palestinians, including women and children, from its jails. The ceasefire also entailed a halt to all Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.
As part of the temporary pause, 200 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and four fuel trucks were permitted into Gaza. Additionally, the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was scheduled to reopen, facilitating the return of stranded Palestinians waiting in the Arish area, as outlined by the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo.
Israel had notified the families of the hostages set to be released, with a list of 300 names published. Most of those eligible for release were male teenagers, primarily aged between 16 to 18, with a few as young as 14.
The first batch of released hostages, numbering 13, included women and children from the same families. The Israeli army expressed readiness to implement the ceasefire but issued a stern warning to Hamas, emphasizing that any violation would trigger a severe response.
The ceasefire, initially set for Thursday, was delayed for finalizing details related to the hostage release. Israeli authorities reported 235 people, including Israelis and foreign nationals, held captive in Gaza, with about 40 of them being children. The conflict had resulted in over 14,800 deaths in Gaza, over 1,200 in Israel, and 223 in the West Bank since its commencement.
(With Agency Inputs)
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