What led to the termination of the Gaza ceasefire?
Conflict reignited between Israel and Hamas on Friday morning, putting a halt to a week-long truce that allowed for the liberation of captives and inmates, and facilitated the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Let's examine some of the crucial inquiries related to the most recent updates.
What caused the cessation of the ceasefire?
Just an hour prior to the scheduled end of the ceasefire at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that alarms were going off in the communities near the Gaza Strip. They later reported that they had successfully intercepted a rocket launched from the region.
Sixty minutes afterwards, the Israeli armed forces declared that the conflict had recommenced, blaming Hamas for breaking the conditions of the deal.
The IDF subsequently announced that its combat planes were hitting Hamas locations in the Gaza Strip.
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, soon stated that Hamas had failed to fulfill its responsibility of freeing all female captives on that day, and had initiated missile attacks on Israeli civilians.
Nonetheless, Hamas accused Israel of reigniting the conflict, claiming they rejected "every proposal to free additional hostages".
The profession had previously decided to restart their unlawful assault, according to a declaration. It faulted US President Joe Biden for "allowing ongoing Israeli atrocities in the Gaza Strip" and for "giving Israel the go-ahead."
During the week-long truce, Mr. Netanyahu has faced strong criticism, especially from the conservative factions in his administration, to recommence the conflict – a move that Israel has consistently stated it planned to do once the pact had concluded.
Even with the current circumstances, there is still optimism that a fresh accord might be established. Qatar, instrumental thus far in discussions regarding a ceasefire, affirmed on Friday that the dialogue is ongoing, with the intention of reinstating a halt.
What is the current state in Gaza?
In just seven hours after the conflict restarted, the health ministry operated by Hamas reported over 60 fatalities. This increases the count of Palestinians they claim were already killed, which is close to 15,000, before the truce.
James Elder, a representative of Unicef, the UN's child welfare organization, communicated with the BBC from a hospital in the southern part of Gaza following the commencement of bombings, characterizing the circumstances as "horrifying".
He expressed that it was terrible for individuals, mentioning that you could spot the terror in their expressions. He also added that an attack had occurred near the location he was at.
He characterized the cessation of the ceasefire as "the dreaded horror that everyone was absolutely terrified of".
Prior to the peace agreement, the Gaza Strip experienced extensive damage due to Israel's counteroffensive actions following the lethal attacks by Hamas on October 7.
Israel reported deploying over 10,000 bombs and missiles. An analysis conducted by BBC suggests that nearly 98,000 structures in Gaza could have been impacted, with the majority of the damage focused in the northern region.
The pauses in the battles also resulted in a stoppage of humanitarian support. During the lulls in conflict, help groups managed to deliver essential aid, but they reported encountering widespread destruction in numerous areas they accessed.
What's the subsequent course of action?
While discussions are still ongoing with the aim of achieving a fresh agreement, it's evident at this point that the conflict has recommenced.
Following numerous weeks of heavy combat in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, especially near Gaza City, it now seems that the Israeli military is shifting its focus mainly towards the southern region, as there have been reports of fresh aerial attacks.
The IDF has also developed a segmentation of Gaza into over 2,000 sections, which they claim will aid individuals in Gaza to avoid upcoming conflicts. They stated that the map is divided into regions to facilitate people in "leaving certain locations for their own protection if necessary".
On Friday, Israeli planes dispersed pamphlets over regions to the east and north of Khan Younis, the biggest city in the southern part of Gaza, which contained a related map. The handouts did not mention any numbered sections, however, a note in Arabic instructed inhabitants of four specified – but not numbered – zones to "leave promptly and seek refuge in Rafah".
The resurgence of conflict follows a meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli authorities, during which Blinken emphasized that the subsequent phase of the conflict must prioritize the safety of civilians.
Mr. Blinken communicated to the Israeli government that they need to prevent causing additional widespread displacement of Palestinians, along with preventing damage to important infrastructures like hospitals, power plants, and water facilities.
What transpired throughout the truce period?
In the course of the week-long truce, Hamas consented to freeing 110 individuals from Gaza, which involved 78 Israeli women and minors.
Under the agreement, 240 Palestinians were freed from Israel's prisons. They were charged with various crimes, including stone-throwing, instigation, and attempted homicide.
Numerous Palestinians who were set free were not found guilty of any offenses and were detained provisionally as they were waiting for their court proceedings. A few reported experiencing mistreatment and group sentences following the assaults on October 7. Israel, however, asserts that it detains all its prisoners in accordance with the law.
Approximately 140 Israeli captives are believed to still be held in Gaza.
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