As Hamas terrorists are set to release a new wave of hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, there are questions about what direction the war will take following the end of the truce period which has largely silenced the guns on both sides.
On Friday, the first day of the truce, Hamas released 24 hostages, according to key mediator Qatar and an official Israeli list. They comprised 13 Israelis — all of whom were women and children, including some dual citizens — 10 Thais and one Filipino. Israel in turn freed 39 women and children from its prisons.
On Saturday, Israeli authorities will release 42 Palestinian prisoners held inside Israeli prisons in exchange for 14 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza Strip.
Israeli army spokesman Doron Spielman says that over 200 hostages still remain in Gaza.
Hamas is expected to free 50 hostages during the ceasefire in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners, part of an agreement struck after talks involving Israel, Palestinian militant groups, Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
A report by the BBC said Israel expects that battle for Gaza City to last for ten days once the truce has ended. The four-day pause began on Friday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly indicated that the Israeli military may turn its attention to the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military assumes that the group’s most important leaders, Yayha Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, are somewhere in the south and are hidden with refugees and hostages which will make the work harder for the Israelis forces to eliminate them.
Israel is also asking Palestinian refugees to move to al-Mawasi, a thin strip of agrarian land along the Mediterranean coast, close to the Egyptian border. They have also dropped leaflets for Palestinians in Khan Younis and Gaza City asking them to move westward.
“The appropriate conditions to protect your loved ones will be provided at al-Mawasi,” Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s spokesman for the Arabic media, said. It remains unclear how Israel will be able to do so.