In a significant development, a temporary truce between Israeli forces and Hamas has been established in the Gaza Strip, marking the end of a 48-day long conflict. This period of calm, which started early Friday, is a brief respite from the relentless violence that has wrought havoc across the Palestinian territory. Despite this ceasefire, both parties have cautioned that the conflict is not yet resolved.
Throughout the truce, there have been no major incidents of bombings, rocket firings, or artillery strikes, though both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of minor ceasefire breaches.
Under the terms of the truce that began at 5:00 AM GMT, 13 Israeli hostages, comprising women and children, are expected to be released by Hamas later in the day. This is in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Moreover, crucial aid is set to be delivered to Gaza, which has suffered a severe humanitarian crisis due to the prolonged Israeli attacks. These attacks have resulted in the death of thousands of Palestinians.
On the ground, Reuters reporters observed Israeli armored vehicles withdrawing from Gaza’s northern border, while humanitarian aid trucks were seen entering from Egypt in the south. The skies over northern Gaza were notably quiet, with no signs of Israeli air force activity or traces of Palestinian rocket launches.
In Khan Younis, a southern Gaza town heavily populated by displaced families, the streets were bustling with people leaving their homes and shelters. “We are filled with hope, optimism, and pride in our resistance, despite the suffering it brought,” said Khaled Abu Anzah, a local resident, in a conversation with Reuters.
While Hamas announced a halt to all military actions, their military spokesperson, Abu Ubaida, emphasized that the ceasefire is temporary. He urged for an intensified conflict against Israel, particularly in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Echoing similar sentiments, the Israeli military indicated that hostilities would likely resume shortly. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, in a statement released by the Defence Ministry, mentioned, “This is just a brief pause, after which the war will resume with greater intensity.”
The Israeli military advised Palestinians against returning to their homes in northern Gaza, labeling it a hazardous war zone.
This escalation of violence began when Hamas militants infiltrated southern Israel on October 7, leading to the death of 1,200 people and the capture of around 240 hostages, as reported by Israeli sources. Israel’s response has been a continuous bombardment of the Hamas-controlled Gaza, claiming approximately 14,000 lives, including a significant proportion of children, according to Palestinian health officials.
The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands out of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, with basic necessities like food, water, fuel, and medical supplies in short supply.
Regarded as one of the most violent episodes in the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel’s objective has been to completely dismantle Hamas.
From the Israeli side, the ceasefire’s onset was observed from just across the fence in southern Israel, an area that has seen intense ground combat since the beginning of the month. Numerous Israeli military vehicles, including tanks, were seen retreating from the Gaza border.
Gaza’s residents reported that the Israeli forces had distributed leaflets cautioning against traveling north and had fired warning shots at individuals attempting to enter Gaza City.
The Palestinian Press Agency SAFA and Al-Jazeera reported isolated incidents of shootings by Israeli forces near Khan Younis and Rafah. According to these reports, two Palestinians were killed, and another injured in these incidents.
Israeli villages near the southern Gaza Strip sounded sirens, alerting residents to potential Palestinian rocket attacks. An Israeli government spokesperson claimed that Hamas violated the truce by firing rockets, though no damage was reported.
In the hours leading up to the truce, intense fighting was reported, with a hospital in Gaza City being among the targeted locations.
The Indonesian Hospital in Gaza operated in darkness, filled with elderly and weak children who couldn’t be moved. According to Al-Jazeera, Mounir El Barsh, a health ministry official in Gaza, stated that a patient was killed and three others injured in an attack on the hospital.
Israel has not commented on this specific incident.
Egypt has been actively engaging with both Israel and Hamas to strengthen the truce and prevent further violations.
The truce, a response to international concerns over the hostages and the plight of civilians in Gaza, was met with resistance by Israel, which views a full ceasefire as advantageous to Hamas. This stance is supported by the United States.
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari, speaking from Doha, mentioned that the first group of hostages, including elderly women, would be released at 2:00 PM GMT, with the total expected to reach 50 over the next four days
