A temporary ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas went into effect early Friday, paving the way for the release of dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
If the truce agreement negotiated by Qatar, Egypt and the US holds, it will bring the first pause in a seven-week-old war that has killed thousands of people. Shortly after the truce took effect, the Israeli military warned the war was “not over yet” and the “humanitarian pause is temporary.”
“The northern Gaza Strip is a dangerous war zone and it is forbidden to move north. For your safety, you must remain in the humanitarian zone in the south,” IDF wrote on X. “It is only possible to move from the north of the Strip to the south via Salah al-Din Road. The movement of residents from the south of the Strip to the north is not allowed and dangerous,” it added.
⭕️Watch this important message from the IDF Spokesperson for Arab media, @AvichayAdraee, to the civilians of Gaza:”The war is not over yet. The humanitarian pause is temporary. The northern Gaza Strip is a dangerous war zone and it is forbidden to move north. For your safety,… https://t.co/OmtxDYHIK3 pic.twitter.com/4gaJDxgy5I
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 24, 2023
The halt in fighting began at 7 a.m. local time and is to last at least four days. During the truce, Gaza’s ruling Hamas group pledged to free at least 50 of the about 240 hostages it and other militants took in their deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel. In turn, Israel is to free three Palestinian prisoners for each released hostage. The releases are to take place in stages over the next four days.
The truce deal was reached in weeks of intense indirect negotiations, with Qatar, the United States and Egypt serving as mediators. Some 1,200 people were killed by Hamas attackers in Israel on Oct. 7. Israel responded with a massive air and ground offensive that has devastated large swaths of Gaza and killed at least 13,300 Palestinians, according to Gaza Health authorities.
Qatari officials said the “first batch” of 13 hostages released would be women and children from the same families. Teams of Israeli trauma experts and medics await them, who will promise to keep them safe and will carry a child’s favourite food items. Media reports said that International Red Cross-Red Crescent staff and an Egyptian team would deploy to Rafah, on the Egypt-Gaza border, to receive the hostages, who will then be flown to Israel.
(With agency inputs)