By JOSEF FEDERMAN, TIA GOLDENBERG and SAMY MAGDY, Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day cease-fire within the conflict in Gaza — a breakthrough that can facilitate the discharge of dozens of hostages held by the terrorist group in addition to Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and produce a big inflow of support to the besieged territory, officers mentioned Wednesday.
Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
The truce raised hopes of finally winding down the conflict, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 rampage into Israel. Now in its seventh week, the conflict has leveled huge swaths of Gaza, fueled a surge of violence within the occupied West Bank, and stirred fears of a wider conflagration throughout the Middle East.
Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned Israel would resume the conflict after the truce and hold preventing “until we achieve all our goals,” together with the destruction of Hamas’ preventing and governing talents and the return of all hostages.
The cease-fire briefly freezes each side within the conflict in place at a tenuous second. Israeli troops maintain a lot of northern Gaza and say they’ve dismantled tunnels and far of Hamas’ infrastructure there. But Israeli officers acknowledge the group’s infrastructure stays intact elsewhere. In current days earlier than the truce, Israel underlined that it was decided to take its floor offensive into the south.
That may very well be doubtlessly devastating for Gaza’s uprooted inhabitants, most of which is squeezed into the south with nowhere to go to keep away from the assault.
Residents in Gaza City mentioned the preventing intensified in a single day into Wednesday, with gunfire, heavy artillery and airstrikes. “Apparently they want to advance before the truce,” mentioned Nasser al-Sheikh, who’s sheltering with family within the metropolis.
Palestinian fighters continued firing rockets at Israel all through the day, with out inflicting casualties.
A DIPLOMATIC BREAKTHROUGH
The announcement of the truce capped weeks of oblique, stop-and-go negotiations to free a few of the roughly 240 hostages taken by Hamas and different fighters throughout their Oct. 7 raid.
The cease-fire is to take impact at 10 a.m. native time (0800 GMT) Thursday, in keeping with Egypt’s state-run Qahera TV channel. Egypt and Qatar, together with the United States, helped mediate the deal between Israel and Hamas.
Fifty hostages will probably be freed in phases, in change for the discharge of what Hamas mentioned could be 150 Palestinian prisoners. Both sides will let go ladies and kids first.
Israel mentioned the truce could be prolonged an additional day for each further 10 hostages freed by Hamas. Hamas mentioned a whole bunch of vehicles carrying humanitarian support — together with gas — could be allowed to enter Gaza.
U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the deal, saying Netanyahu dedicated to supporting an “extended pause.” Several nations, together with Britain, France, China and Russia, additionally welcomed the settlement.
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, mentioned he hoped the deal would finally result in a everlasting cease-fire and “serious talks” on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian battle.
Israel’s Justice Ministry revealed a listing of 300 prisoners eligible to be launched, primarily youngsters detained over the previous yr for rock-throwing and different minor offenses.
The Israeli army says it has detained greater than 1,850 Palestinians within the West Bank for the reason that conflict started, largely suspected Hamas members. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed there, primarily throughout battles triggered by military raids. Attacks by Jewish settlers have surged, deepening Palestinian despair.
WILL THE WAR RESUME?
The conflict erupted in early October, when a number of thousand Hamas fighters broke into southern Israel, killing at the least 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and taking hostages.
Weeks of devastating Israel airstrikes in Gaza, adopted by a floor invasion, have killed greater than 11,000 Palestinians, in keeping with the Health Ministry within the Hamas-run territory. It doesn’t differentiate between civilians and fighters, although some two-thirds of the lifeless have been recognized as ladies and minors.
The ministry mentioned that as of Nov. 11 it had misplaced the flexibility to rely the lifeless due to the collapse of huge components of the well being system, however says the quantity has risen sharply since then. Some 2,700 persons are lacking and believed buried underneath rubble.
For Israel, ending the conflict now would fall wanting its purpose of crushing Hamas all through Gaza.
Israeli troops and tanks are anticipated to stay in place round northern Gaza throughout the truce. Israel says it has killed hundreds of Hamas fighters, although it has introduced no proof for its rely.
Hamas, in the meantime, could have an opportunity to regroup. Hamas chief Yehya Sinwar will seemingly current the discharge of the prisoners — seen by most Palestinians as heroes resisting occupation — as a serious achievement, and declare victory if the conflict ends.
At the identical time, Israel faces stress to increase the truce. The conflict’s devastation has already galvanized worldwide criticism of Israel, and even the U.S., its closest ally, has expressed concern concerning the heavy toll on Gaza’s civilians.
STRIKES CONTINUE
Israeli strikes continued after the announcement of the truce deal.
An airstrike in a single day hit a residential constructing within the southern city of Khan Younis, killing 17 folks, together with kids, mentioned Ahmad Balouny, a relative of the deceased. An Associated Press reporter noticed the our bodies of two kids pulled from the rubble.
Strikes additionally leveled buildings within the Nusseirat refugee camp and town of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, which have been closely bombarded in current days. The metropolis’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital mentioned 128 our bodies have been introduced in in a single day after strikes, greater than double the quantity that arrived Tuesday evening.
“We had barely closed our eyes and we woke up to wreckage, dust and the smell of munitions. … The kids were paralyzed by fear,” mentioned Umm Rami al-Jabali, who survived a strike in Deir al-Balah. “There’s no safe place. Inside isn’t safe, outside isn’t safe.”
In northern Gaza, about 60 our bodies and 200 folks wounded by heavy preventing have been introduced into the Kamal Adwan Hospital in a single day, hospital director Dr. Ahmed al-Kahlout informed Al-Jazeera tv Wednesday.
Over 1.7 million Palestinians have been displaced within the conflict. Many, if not most, will probably be unable to return residence due to the huge injury and the continued presence of Israeli troops within the north.
The truce deal guarantees a rise of support to the south, bringing some aid to a whole bunch of hundreds who’ve struggled to search out meals and water. Israel has barred imports to Gaza for the reason that begin of the conflict, aside from a trickle of support coming into from Egypt.
But Palestinians mentioned they wanted a full cease-fire to attempt to recuperate from the humanitarian disaster.
At a U.N. school-turned-shelter in Deir al-Balah — filled with households residing in lecture rooms or ramshackle shelters arrange within the yard — Amal Mahmoud mentioned her household from northern Gaza was dispersed throughout the territory.
“We don’t like this truce. We want to return to our homes, to our lands,” she mentioned.
DEAL COULD DIVIDE ISRAELIS
The return of hostages may elevate spirits in Israel, the place their plight has gripped the nation. Families of the hostages — who embrace infants and older adults — have staged mass demonstrations to stress the federal government to deliver them residence.
But they may additionally discover themselves divided as some hostages are freed and others not.
Ofri Bibas Levy, whose brother, sister-in-law and two nephews — aged 4 and 10 months — are among the many captives, mentioned the deal places the households in an “inhumane” state of affairs.
“Who will be released, who won’t? Will the kids be freed? Will they be freed with their mothers or not?” she requested, talking to The Associated Press earlier than the deal was introduced. “No matter which way it happens, there will still be families that will remain worried and sad and angry.”
Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press reporters Najib Jobain in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip; Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip; Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”