The 48-day conflict that has devastated the Palestinian enclave has finally come to an end with the implementation of a temporary ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip.
Friday at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT) saw the start of the ceasefire; no significant bombings, artillery strikes, or rocket attacks were recorded. But both sides have issued warnings, saying that the war is far from ended.
Israel and Hamas have both accused each other of occasional infractions, even in the apparent truce.
In exchange for Palestinian detainees kept in Israeli prisons, 13 Israeli women and children who were held captive by Hamas would be released as part of the cease-fire. In addition, humanitarian supplies are scheduled to arrive in Gaza to alleviate the grave circumstances brought on by weeks of Israeli shelling, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians.
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Although Hamas has acknowledged that hostilities have ended, spokeswoman Abu Ubaida stressed that this is only a “temporary truce.” This view was supported by Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who declared that the battle would return with considerable ferocity and that the halt would be brief.
When Hamas gunmen broke over the border fence into southern Israel on October 7, the fighting broke out. Israeli estimates indicate that 1,200 people were killed and about 240 hostages were taken prisoner. In response, Israel launched a protracted attack on the Gaza Strip, killing almost 14,000 Palestinians—many of whom were children.
The situation in Gaza has swiftly gotten worse, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee while basic commodities are running low. Israel’s goal to permanently destroy Hamas is evident in the ongoing fighting, which has been called the bloodiest event in decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Fighting continued in the run-up to the truce; there were claims that one of the targets struck was a hospital in Gaza City.
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In accordance with the deal, hostages were released starting at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT), with 50 being released over the course of four days. In return for the hostages, Israel is scheduled to free 39 Palestinian detainees, including women and teenagers.
The ceasefire also makes it easier to get desperately needed aid to Gaza; by mid-morning, sixty trucks had crossed the border from Egypt at the Rafah crossing point. Gas, fuel, and other necessities for resolving the humanitarian issue in the area are included in the relief.
Although the interim ceasefire offers a little reprieve, there is still uncertainty about the future because both sides have hinted that hostilities may resume in the coming days.
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