Israel-Hamas 4-Day Truce Begins, 13 Hostages To Be Released In First Batch: Top Points

A four-day truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday after nearly seven weeks of fighting between the two.

After days of war and negotiations, a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday as part of a deal brokered by Qatar and the US, between the fighting forces. In the evening (4 pm local time), Hamas will free 13 hostages it kidnapped from Israel last month, followed by the release of some Palestinian prisoners, reported BBC.

Top Points In Israel-Hamas Present Situation

• Hamas has agreed to release 50 Israeli hostages over the period of four days in the four-day truce beginning Friday. This comes after nearly seven weeks of brutal fighting between the two after Hamas launched a surprise assault on Israel on October 7. The Jewish nation retorted with stronger action from land and air bombing of the Gaza Strip, and later launched a ground offensive targeting militant sites in the enclave.

 

• According to BBC, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it has over 100 trucks with around 1,300 tonnes of food supplies ready to enter Gaza once the temporary truce comes into effect, the report added. However, the WFP's Middle East spokesperson, Abeer Etefa, told BBC while the temporary truce is a "step forward", only a total ceasefire will allow humanitarian needs in Gaza to be properly met.

 

• Egypt has announced that 200 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, a total of 1,30,000 litres of diesel, and four trucks of gas into the Gaza Strip will enter the region daily, The Times of Israel reported.

 

• The temporary truce will be in effect at both north and south of the Gaza Strip. 50 hostages will be released in total in exchange for a pause in fighting, and the release of 150 Palestinians currently held in Israeli jails, the report added.

 

• Meanwhile in Gaza, the Israeli military confirmed that it had detained the director of Gaza's al-Shifa hospital after it released a video claiming as evidence that hospital, under his management, was used as a Hamas command and control centre.

 

• According to Hamas authorities in the strip, so far, Israeli attacks have killed around 14,854 people including 5,850 children, reported CNN. On Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah put the number killed at 12,700.