A four-day truce between Israel and Hamas has commenced, bringing a temporary pause to the ongoing conflict that has lasted nearly seven weeks. The truce, brokered by Qatar, began on Friday at 7 am local time, and aims to facilitate the release of 13 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Qatari mediators have confirmed that at 4 pm local time, the first batch of hostages, which includes 13 women and children from the same families, will be freed. Over the course of the truce, the number of released hostages is expected to rise to 50, as per the agreement brokered by Qatar and the US this week.
In accordance with the deal, for each released hostage, Israel has agreed to release three Palestinian prisoners. During the four-day truce, it is anticipated that around 150 Palestinian prisoners, consisting mostly of women and minors, some convicted of attempted murder, will also be released. This would result in an estimated 190 prisoners returning to the hands of Palestinian terrorists.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has been in contact with the families of the hostages after receiving a list of names of those set to be released. The agreement stipulates a complete ceasefire, with no attacks from the air or ground, and a clear sky devoid of drones to ensure a safe environment for the hostage release.
However, moments before the temporary ceasefire took effect, rocket sirens were triggered in Israeli towns near Gaza, and reports of intense IDF shelling throughout Gaza surfaced, indicating Israel’s effort to advance its mission against Hamas in the final hours leading up to the pause.
The deal between Israel and Hamas includes incentives for additional hostage releases, with Jerusalem agreeing to extend the truce by one day for every ten additional hostages freed by the Palestinian terrorist organization.
Furthermore, during the truce period, aid such as fuel, food, water, and humanitarian supplies will be provided to Gaza.
Now, the focus shifts to the successful implementation of the truce and the safe release of the hostages. As tensions still linger, the global community watches with hope for a lasting solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has caused immense suffering and loss on both sides.
