NewsDeskReport
Gaza Ceasefire: Mediator Qatar has said that the ceasefire in the Gaza war is starting this morning. On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to bring back all the hostages captured by Hamas. The ceasefire aims to end more than 15 months of fighting and devastating bombardment, but in a televised address on Saturday evening, Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that Israel has US support to return to war if necessary. .
what happened so far
- During the 42-day ceasefire, Palestinian terrorist group Hamas will hand over 33 hostages. Three hostages will be released on Sunday. Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some of whom will be deported.
- Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari said, “In accordance with the coordination of the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30 am (0630 GMT) on Sunday.”
- Netanyahu said Israel has changed the face of the Middle East since the war began with the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. He called the 42-day first phase, which began Sunday, a “temporary ceasefire.” “If we are forced to restart the war, we will do so with force,” he said.
- However, Hamas said Israel “failed to achieve its offensive goals” and “succeeded only in committing war crimes that outrage the dignity of humanity”.
- Israel’s Justice Ministry said that 737 Palestinian prisoners and detainees will be released under the first phase of the agreement. No one will be released before 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday.
- On Saturday, Trump said on American network NBC that he told Netanyahu the war “has to end.” “We want this to end, but we have to keep doing what we have to do,” he said.
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian Authority (PA), which has partial administrative control in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has completed preparations “to assume full responsibility in Gaza” after the war.
- Israel has not expressed any definite stance on post-war governance other than rejecting any role for Hamas or the PA.
- Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Gaza should be under the control of the PA. Displaced Gazans are ready to return home after the ceasefire.
- If the second phase of the agreement is finalized, it will bring a “permanent end to the war”.
