On Saturday, the Israeli government approved the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and would release dozens of hostages, pausing the 15-month-long destructive war in Gaza, according to the media reports. The exchange of hostages between the two sides will go into effect on Sunday. However, key questions remain, including the names of the 33 hostages to be released during the six-week first phase of the ceasefire and who among them is still alive.
The deal was a little delayed as PM Netanyahu insisted there were ‘last-minute’ complications that he blamed on the Palestinian terror group. PM Netanyahu instructed a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza and said that their families were informed a deal had been reached.
Furthermore, hundreds of Palestinian detainees are to be released as well, and the largely devastated Gaza should see a surge in humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, Israel’s justice ministry published a list of 95 Palestinian prisoners to be freed in the deal’s first phase and said the release will not begin before 4 pm local time Sunday. All people on the list are younger or female. Following the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, President Mahmoud Abbas called for a ‘full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip,’ asserting the presidency’s firm stance and stating that Palestine is ready to “assume full responsibility” in Gaza.”
The Presidency affirmed its firm position of the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in and full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The Presidency reiterated that it was necessary to establish an immediate ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and pave the way for the State of Palestine to assume full responsibility for the Gaza Strip as an integral part of the occupied territory. He said in a statement, “The State of Palestine has legal and political jurisdiction over the Strip as it is the case with the rest of the occupied territory of the West Bank and Jerusalem while affirming rejection of any carving up of the Gaza Strip and forced expulsion of any Palestinian from their homeland”.
Comments