What led to the termination of the Gaza ceasefire?
Hostilities reignited between Israel and Hamas on Friday morning, bringing a close to a week-long truce. This truce enabled the release of hostages and prisoners, and facilitated the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Let's delve into some of the crucial inquiries related to the most recent events.
What caused the termination of the ceasefire?
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that alarms were going off in areas near the Gaza Strip just an hour before the scheduled end of the ceasefire at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT). They then reported that they had intercepted a rocket launched from the territory.
Sixty minutes afterwards, the Israeli defense forces declared that the conflict had rekindled, blaming Hamas for breaching the conditions of the pact.
The IDF subsequently announced that their fighter planes were hitting Hamas locations in the Gaza Strip.
Not long after, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, stated that Hamas failed to fulfill its duty to free all female captives that day, and they initiated rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.
Nonetheless, Hamas pointed fingers at Israel for reigniting the conflict, claiming it declined "all propositions for freeing additional hostages".
The statement claimed that the occupation had previously planned to reignite its criminal onslaught. It held US President Joe Biden responsible for the ongoing acts of war by Zionists in the Gaza Strip and for giving approval to Israel.
During the week-long truce, Mr. Netanyahu has faced significant pushback, especially from the conservative factions within his administration, to resume the conflict – a move that Israel has consistently signified its readiness to implement once the deal had concluded.
Nonetheless, there is still optimism that a fresh pact may be achieved. Qatar, having been instrumental in the ceasefire talks so far, verified on Friday that discussions were ongoing, with the intent of resuming a standstill.
What's the current state in Gaza?
The health department operated by Hamas reported that over 60 individuals lost their lives within a seven-hour timeframe after conflict reignited. This adds to the almost 15,000 Palestinians they claim were already deceased prior to the truce.
James Elder, a representative from Unicef, the UN's child welfare organization, conversed with the BBC from a hospital in the south of Gaza following the commencement of the bombings, characterizing the circumstances as "horrifying".
He described the situation as "terrible for individuals," observing the terror etched on their faces. He further noted that an attack had occurred near the location he was at.
He portrayed the termination of the truce as "the horrifying scenario that everyone was extremely afraid of".
Prior to the truce, the Gaza Strip experienced extensive devastation due to Israel's counter-offensive actions, which were in reaction to the fatal attacks by Hamas on October 7.
Israel has reportedly utilized over 10,000 bombs and missiles. According to BBC's research, approximately 98,000 structures in Gaza might have been impacted, with the majority of the damage being in the northern region.
The strikes also interrupted the provision of humanitarian aid. During the cessation of hostilities, aid organizations managed to deliver essential help, but they found widespread destruction in many areas they accessed.
What will follow?
Even though discussions are ongoing with the aspiration of settling a fresh agreement, it's evident at this moment that the conflict has started again.
Following numerous weeks of severe combat primarily around Gaza City in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, it seems like the Israeli military is now shifting its primary focus to the southern regions, where there are reports of resumed air attacks.
The IDF has also developed a diagram of Gaza, segmented into over 2,000 areas. They claim that this will be utilized to aid individuals in Gaza to flee from potential combat. They explained that the chart is separated into districts, allowing people to depart from certain locations for their own protection if necessary.
Israeli aircraft scattered pamphlets on Friday over regions to the east and north of Khan Younis, the most populous city in southern Gaza, providing a link to a map. The leaflets did not mention any numbered sections, but contained an Arabic message instructing inhabitants of four specific – but unnumbered – zones to "leave at once and seek refuge in Rafah".
The resurgence of conflict follows a meeting between Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, and Israeli authorities. During this meeting, Blinken emphasized that the subsequent phase of the war should prioritize the safety of civilians.
Mr. Blinken conveyed to the Israeli government that they must prevent further large-scale displacement of Palestinians and destruction to vital infrastructures, including hospitals, power plants, and water systems.
What occurred in the period of the truce?
In the course of the one-week truce, Hamas consented to free 110 individuals from Gaza, comprising of 78 Israeli women and kids.
Under the agreement, 240 Palestinians were set free from Israeli prisons. They were charged with various crimes, ranging from stone-throwing to instigation and attempted homicide.
A number of the liberated Palestinians hadn't been found guilty of any offenses and were in custody pending their court hearings. A few expressed that they were victims of mistreatment and group penalties following the attacks on October 7. Israel maintains that all their captives are held in adherence to legal procedures.
Approximately 140 Israeli captives are believed to still be held in Gaza.
Further information on Israel-Gaza conflict
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