2024-05-07 13:25:38
Tel Aviv: Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire deal with Israel. Hamas says it has informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that it is ready for a ceasefire with Israel and the release of hostages. On behalf of Hamas it was said that now the decision is on Israel. According to Israeli media reports, in the first phase of the deal related to the release of hostages, Hamas has planned to release 33 hostages, both alive and dead. The hostages to be released reportedly include women, female soldiers, women under the age of 19, This includes young children, adults above 50 years of age and people suffering from serious diseases. In return, Hamas has demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners according to different categories of hostages. This agreement will last for 126 days. Hamas will release three hostages in the first three days of the agreement. After this, Hamas will release three hostages every week, in which women and female soldiers will be first in the list. Hamas will release the remaining hostages in this phase in the sixth week.
Israeli attack in Rafah
The Israeli army said it had established ‘operational control’ over the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip from Monday to Tuesday night. Footage broadcast on Israeli media showed an Israeli flag waving on the Gaza side of the crossing. However, the Israeli Army refused to comment on this flag. The Israeli army said on Monday night that it was carrying out “targeted strikes” in eastern Rafah. It said 20 Hamas militants were killed in the operation and three shafts were discovered in the tunnel.
The bombing did not stop in Rafa
An Israeli army official said most of the people in the evacuation zone had left. Israeli Defense Forces and Palestinian officials said Israeli tanks had taken control of the crossing just south of Gaza City. These tanks are part of the armored brigade. Palestinian Crossing Authority spokesman Wael Abu Omar said the crossing, the main gateway for humanitarian aid into the war-torn strip, was out of service. “Since yesterday, the entire western area (of Rafah) has become a war zone of the operation,” Abu Omar said. The bombing has not stopped. He said the crew members had fled the scene due to the bombing.
(With agency input.)