A four-day truce between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas is set to begin on Friday morning, bringing a temporary halt to the devastating conflict that has plagued the region for almost seven weeks. As part of the truce, 13 civilian captives held by Hamas will be released from the Gaza Strip later in the day. The announcement was made by Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The truce is scheduled to start at 7am (05:00 GMT) and will include a cessation of hostilities across Gaza. In addition to the release of captives, increased humanitarian aid will be entering Gaza “as soon as possible”. The initial batch of captives scheduled to be released consists of women and children.
The deal between Israel and Hamas also includes the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons, although the exact number to be released on Friday has not been disclosed. Al-Ansari emphasized that the objective is the safety of the hostages, and the Red Cross is coordinating with all parties involved in the release.
Hamas’s armed wing confirmed the truce in a statement on Telegram, stating that during this period, all military actions by both Hamas’s Qassam Brigades and Israeli forces would cease. The Israeli prime minister’s office acknowledged receiving an initial list of hostages to be released and is currently verifying the details.
The conflict, which began on October 7 when Hamas launched attacks on southern Israel, has resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials. Over 240 individuals have been held hostage during this period. In response, Israel has launched a devastating assault on the Gaza Strip, leading to severe humanitarian conditions and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
While humanitarian organizations stress the need for a permanent ceasefire to address the catastrophic suffering in Gaza, many Palestinians welcome the truce as a much-needed respite. Khaled Loz, a resident of Gaza, expressed relief and plans to use the truce to catch up on sleep after weeks of continuous bombings.
The situation in the region remains tense, and the truce provides a temporary reprieve. The hope is that it will pave the way for further negotiations and ultimately lead to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and Palestine.
