After 49 days of intense fighting, a ceasefire between the Palestinian extremist group Hamas and Israel has been reached. According to the news agencies, a cease-fire has been in place since 7:00 a.m. local time in Gaza on Friday, November 24, 2023.
During a four-day cease-fire, Hamas released 24 hostages in Gaza, while Israel freed 39 Palestinians, marking the initial phase of a swap and offering a brief respite to both parties.
Thirteen Israelis, among them four children, have been successfully repatriated to Israel following a 49-day period of captivity in Gaza. Their release is a key outcome of the recently brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, facilitated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations.
According to the Times of Israel, Hamas released 13 Israeli hostages on Friday afternoon as agreed. Israel also released 39 Palestinian prisoners, including 24 women and 15 teenagers. Some of them were serving sentences for assaults and attempted murders of Israeli soldiers, and others for simple stone-pelting.
The agreement involved a prisoner swap, in which Hamas agreed to release 239 hostages, including Israelis and foreigners, in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian prisoners and halting its military operations in Gaza.
Among the hostages released by Hamas were 12 Thai citizens, who were confirmed by Thailand’s Prime Minister Sretha Thavisin on X, a social media platform. The Thai hostages were picked up by embassy officials and their identity has not been revealed.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s secretariat also said that Hamas had released 13 hostages. The released prisoners were handed over to the Red Cross and taken to a hospital for medical check-ups.
Hamas has agreed to release at least 10 hostages each day, and for each release Israel has agreed to an additional day of ceasefire in Gaza. The Israeli government has expressed confidence that all hostages taken by Hamas in Gaza will be released. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said he would release the hostages even for a ceasefire.
The ceasefire has brought a temporary relief to the people of Gaza, who have suffered from the Israeli airstrikes and shelling for more than a month. According to Reuters, more than 13,300 Palestinian civilians have died in Gaza due to Israel’s attack. Hundreds of trucks carrying food, fuel and medicine entered Gaza on Friday, as various countries sent humanitarian aid to the besieged territory.
The conflict between Hamas and Israel started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from the ground and from the air. The attack killed 1,200 people, including 10 Nepali students who were studying in Israel. Bipin Joshi from Nepal is also among the hostages still held by Hamas.
The attack triggered a fierce response from Israel, which launched a massive military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli forces targeted Hamas’ rocket launchers, tunnels, weapons depots and command centers, as well as civilian buildings and infrastructure.
The United Nations and other international powers have been calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, as the humanitarian situation deteriorated and the civilian casualties mounted. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the ceasefire was a “vital step” to end the bloodshed and protect the civilians.
However, the ceasefire is fragile and could collapse at any moment, as both sides have not addressed the underlying issues that fuel the conflict. Hamas demands an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which has been in place since 2007, and the recognition of its political legitimacy. Israel demands the disarmament of Hamas and the restoration of its security and sovereignty.
The ceasefire is expected to pave the way for further negotiations between Hamas and Israel, with the mediation of Egypt and other parties. The talks will aim to reach a long-term truce and a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has been going on for decades.
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