Israel and Hamas Agree to 4-Day Truce with a Twist

Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority (center), is seen hand in hand with Pedro Sanchez, the Prime Minister of Spain (left), and Alexander De Croo, the Prime Minister of Belgium, in the city of Ramallah on the west bank of the Jordan River on the 23rd (local time)./EPA·Yonhap News

Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas will begin a four-day ceasefire at 7 a.m. (local time) on the 24th, as Qatar, the mediator, announced on the 23rd.

They will release the first group of 13 hostages and about 40 Palestinian prisoners at 4 p.m. Majid Al-Ansari, a spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, said that both sides have agreed on the list of civilians to be released from the Gaza Strip.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel (center), is seen meeting with Pedro Sanchez, the Prime Minister of Spain (right), and Alexander De Croo, the Prime Minister of Belgium, at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, Israel, on the 23rd (local time)./EPA·Yonhap News

◇ The Israel-Hamas ceasefire starts at 7 a.m. on the 24th… At 4 p.m., Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners start to be released

During the four-day ceasefire, Israel and Hamas will daily deliver through Qatar the list of hostages and prisoners for release. The release will include family members among the hostages.

Immediately after Qatar’s announcement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed receipt of the first list of hostages for immediate release.

Hamas also confirmed the initiation of a temporary ceasefire on the morning of the 24th, revealing their plan to release three Palestinian prisoners for each Israeli hostage.

Hamas also confirmed that a temporary ceasefire will begin on the morning of the 24th, revealing that three Palestinian prisoners will be released for each Israeli hostage.

Earlier, Israel and Hamas agreed on a four-day ceasefire on the 22nd. Along with this, Hamas will release 50 of the approximately 240 hostages trapped in the Gaza Strip, and Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners.

The agreement also includes an expansion of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Hamas announced that 200 aid trucks and four fuel trucks would enter the Gaza Strip daily during the ceasefire.

Israeli soldiers are seen on guard duty outside Al-Shifa in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, on the 22nd (local time)./AP·Yonhap News

Palestinians are seen showing papers such as passes to flee to the south of the Gaza Strip from the outskirts of Gaza City on the 22nd (local time)./AP·Yonhap News

Palestinians are seen leaving Nasser near Gaza City on the 8th (local time)./AP·Yonhap News

◇ Israel Defense Forces to resume operation to root out Hamas after four-day ceasefire

The Israeli Defense Forces continued ground operations in the Gaza Strip today, and air raid sirens warning of rocket attacks rang out in some southern areas of Israel, according to Lieutenant Richard Hect, a spokesman for the Israeli military.

“The occupation of the northern Gaza Strip is just the first phase of a lengthy operation,” said Colonel Daniel Hagari, the senior spokesman for the Israeli military, this evening.

This is a hint that the operation to root out Hamas will resume after the ceasefire.

Yoav Gallant, the Minister of Defense, emphasized during a visit to the Israeli Navy Special Forces that “when the short temporary ceasefire with the terrorist group Hamas ends, the Israeli military will resume fierce combat for at least two months,” and “During this time, you need to regroup and prepare for the resumption of the fight.”

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, also said in a meeting with David Cameron, the British Foreign Secretary visiting Israel today, “Although there are obstacles, we are focusing on rescuing all hostages,” and “We will continue to pursue the war goal of ‘eliminating Hamas’.”

By. Ha Man Joo