A truce has been reached between Hamas and Israel in Gaza
Finally, Gaza breathed a sigh of relief, after long days of shelling and destruction, the announcement of the truce came as a cool breeze in a sultry summer, the scene in the streets changed overnight, from a heavy silence interrupted by the sound of planes and explosions to a vibrant movement, faces filled with hope despite the pain.
From the first moment of the announcement of the truce, people came out of their homes, which during the days of aggression turned into small shelters. Children running in the alleys, women exchanging congratulations on the safety of loved ones, and men standing in front of the remains of their houses inspecting the damage and thanking God for safety.
Gazans with tearful eyes said: “the truce came like a mercy from heaven “ We lived under shelling, we feared for our children with every explosion, thank God the fire stopped, but the wounds left by the war in our hearts will take a long time to heal.”
Despite the joy of the truce, sadness remains present in every corner of the city, there are those who have lost their home, those who have lost their loved ones, and there are those who have lost hope for a safe life.
Shops will open their doors again, traffic will gradually return to the markets, people exchange congratulations on each other’s safety, but in their hearts there is a feeling of anxiety about the future. The truce is a breathtaking start, but it is not the solution, and the people of Gaza need a permanent stop to the war, they deserve a normal life like the rest of humanity, without being afraid to wake up to the sound of an explosion.”
Despite all the wounds, hope remains the most prominent feature that does not separate the Palestinians, a people accustomed to rising from the rubble, a people who refuses to break despite all attempts.
Today in Gaza, life is reviving again, and the eyes are looking forward to a better tomorrow. Everyone here has one wish
Gaza today is rebuilding hope from the rubble, sending a message to the world: despite the pain… there is still hope.”
Protests in Israel
Hundreds of Israelis staged demonstrations in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem to demand the conclusion of a comprehensive deal, Israeli media said،
There were also mixed reactions inside Israel regarding the agreement reached by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and”Hamas” on a ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners and hostages.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a veiled threat to resign instead of accepting the agreement, and the hard-right minister said in a statement, on behalf of his religious Zionist party, which opposes any concession to Hamas:”the deal that will be presented to the government is a bad deal and dangerous for the national security of the state of Israel, and we oppose it with all force.
“The obvious condition for our survival in the government is the absolute certainty of returning to the war with great force, on a full scale and with a new configuration until complete victory is achieved, primarily the destruction of the Hamas terrorist organization and the return of all the abductees to their homes,”he added.
His statement follows a similar statement from the Tikva Forum, a right-wing pro-hostage group that had appealed to members of Netanyahu’s government to oppose the ceasefire agreement.
“Over the past two days, the prime minister and I have had frantic talks on this issue, ” Smotrich said. He knows the detailed demands of religious Zionism and the ball is in his court”.
What does the agreement include?
The agreement reached by the parties includes three stages, the first stage and its duration تشتمل one day includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and repositioning of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas, the exchange of prisoners and detainees, the exchange of the remains of the deceased, the return of Internally Displaced Persons to their places of residence in the Gaza Strip, and facilitating the departure of the sick and wounded for treatment.
The first phase includes the intensification of the safe and effective introduction and distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip, the rehabilitation of hospitals, health centers and bakeries, the introduction of Civil Defense supplies and fuel, and the introduction of shelter supplies for displaced people who have lost their homes due to the war.
Egypt, Qatar and America confirmed that their policy as guarantors of this agreement is to confirm that all its three stages will be fully implemented by the parties. Accordingly, the mediators will work jointly to ensure that the parties fulfill their obligations in the agreement and the full continuation of the three stages.
The three countries stressed that the guarantors will also work in coordination with the United Nations, donor countries and partners from all over the world to support a rapid and sustainable increase in humanitarian assistance to Gaza under the conditions stipulated in the agreement.
The mediators urged the actors of the international community to support these efforts under the mechanisms used in the implementation of the agreement.
US President Joe Biden has confirmed that the ceasefire agreement in Gaza was drafted during his administration, but the administration of President-elect Donald Trump will implement its terms.
Biden said during a press conference that Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that would end the fighting in Gaza and increase humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians.
