Israel and Hamas Begin Ceasefire, Setting Stage for Release of Some Israelis Held Hostage

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — A four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas began Friday, allowing various supplies to start flowing into Gaza and setting the stage for the release of dozens of innocent hostages held by the enemy and convicts held by Israel.There were no reports of fighting in the hours after the truce began. The deal offered some relief for Gaza’s 2.3 million people, who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment as Hamas has hidden among them and dwindling supplies of basic necessities, as well as for families in Israel worried about loved ones taken hostage during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel and Hamas’ slaughter of 1,200 innocents, which triggered the war.The truce raised hopes of enemy forces that the conflict could be ended early, before Hamas is fully destroyed. The war has seen a surge of violence in the West Bank and risked wider conflagration across the Middle East. Israel, however, has said it is determined to resume its massive offensive once the cease-fire ends.On Friday, it brought quiet after weeks in which Gaza saw heavy bombardment and artillery fire daily as well as street fighting as Israeli forces advanced through neighborhoods in the north. The last report of air raid sirens in Israeli towns near the territory came shortly after the truce took effect.A billboard, at Tel Aviv on November 24, 2023, calling for the return of some 240 hostages abducted by Hamas. AP/Ohad ZwigenbergNot long after, four tankers with fuel and four with cooking gas entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt, Israel said. Israel has agreed to allow the delivery of 34,340 gallons of fuel a day during the truce — about an eighth of Gaza’s estimated daily needs of more than 1 million liters.For most of the past seven weeks of war, Israel had barred the entry of fuel to Gaza, lest it be used by enemy forces for military purposes. Despite that risk, Israel has occasionally allowed in small amounts of fuel.United Nations aid agencies have maintained that fuel deliveries were closely supervised and urgently needed to avert a humanitarian catastrophe since fuel is required to run generators that power water treatment facilities, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.The Israeli military dropped leaflets over southern Gaza, warning hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian Arabs who sought refuge there not to return to their homes in the territory’s north, the focus of Israel’s ground offensive. Even though Israel warned that it would block such attempts, hundreds of Palestinian Arabs could be seen walking north Friday.Two were shot and killed by Israeli troops and another 11 were wounded. An Associated Press journalist saw the two bodies and the wounded as they arrived at a hospital. Sofian Abu Amer, who had fled Gaza City, said he decided to risk heading north to check on his home.“We don’t have enough clothes, food, and drinks,” he said. ”The situation is disastrous.”During the cease-fire, Gaza’s ruling Hamas group pledged to free at least 50 of the about 240 hostages it and other militants took on October 7. Hamas said Israel would free 150 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have been convicted in Israeli courts of serious crimes.Both sides agreed to release women and children first, though, again, many of the women and “children,” some teenage males, have been convicted in proceedings in Israel of having committed crimes. The release is due to start this afternoon. Israel said the deal calls for the truce to be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.Early in the day, ambulances were seen arriving at the Hatzerim air base in southern Israel, preparing for the release. Those freed will then be taken to hospitals for assessment and treatment, Israeli officials said.The first hostages freed will be Israeli citizens, including some who have a second nationality, according to a Hamas official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The official would not comment on press reports that Hamas had also agreed to release non-Israelis, including 23 Thai nationals. Thailand’s foreign minister told reporters in Bangkok he had not been able to confirm the reports.Israel’s Justice Ministry published a list of 300 prisoners eligible for release. Three convicted Palestinian Arab prisoners are expected to be released for every innocent hostage freed.The hope, at least according to a foreign ministry spokesman of Qatar, which sides with Hamas against Israel, is that “momentum” from the deal will lead to an “end to this violence.” The ministry has served as a mediator along with America and Egypt.Hours before the ceasefire came into effect, Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, was quoted telling troops that the respite would be short and that the war would resume with intensity for at least two more months. Prime Minister Netanyahu has also vowed to continue the war to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its 16-year rule in Gaza, and return all the hostages.Israel’s northern border with Lebanon was also quiet on Friday, a day after the Iranian-backed terrorists of Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, carried out the highest number of attacks in one day since fighting there began October 8. Hezbollah is not a party to the cease-fire agreement, but was widely expected to halt its attacks.

Israel and Hamas Begin Ceasefire, Setting Stage for Release of Some Israelis Held Hostage

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