• Humanitarian Pause and Truce Terms: A 4-day humanitarian pause, mediated by Qatar with the assistance of Egypt and the United States, was agreed upon between Hamas and Israel. The truce has now been extended for a further two days.
• Despite the temporary ceasefire, there are concerns about its continuation, with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu expressing willingness to extend it based on the release of hostages by Hamas.
Since Oct. 7, Israel has killed over 14,000 civilians and displaced 1.7 million Palestinians from their homes. The international community has urged the Israeli government to exercise maximum restraint as they have ushered in one of the worst humanitarian crises since the end of the second world war.
With the direct mediation of the Qatari government and assistance from Egypt and the United States, a humanitarian pause has been agreed to between Hamas and Israel. The terms are as follows:
– A pause in military action for 4 days which started Friday the 24th of November and ending on Monday the 27th
– Increase aid into the blockaded Gaza Strip
– The release of 50 Israeli civilian women and children held hostage
– The release of 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons
While on a call with U.S. President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamen Netanyahu stated he would agree to extend the truce by an additional day for every 10 hostages released by Hamas. He also said, “we will return with full force to achieve our goals: The elimination of Hamas, ensuring that Gaza does not return to what it was; and of course the release of all our hostages.”
Minutes after the temporary ceasefire, the Israeli Defense Forces shoot machine gun fire at Palestinian civilians in an attempt toscare and intimidate the people. In addition, on Sunday morning,the IDF targeted and killed a Palestinian famer and injure another in central Gaza as they were tending to their land, breaching the truce agreement yet again.
Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades threatened to delay the release of hostages on Saturday until Israel met all the conditions of the truce, which also meant committing to allowing the aid trucks into the Gaza Strip. In an effort to save the truce deal, Qatari diplomats are now on site in Gaza supervising the entry and delivery of life saving humanitarian aid. The shipment of aid heading to the northern part of Gaza was described by U.N.officials who took part in the delivery of the convoy as being the biggest in a month.
It is uncertain what will transpire once the humanitarian pause is over, with circulating rumours suggesting the possibility of an IDF offensive in the north of Gaza.
