A humanitarian pause came into effect in the Gaza Strip at 7 am local time this morning. This follows an Israeli offensive that persisted since October 7, resulting in the tragic murder of over 15,000 Palestinians, including 6,150 children, more than 4,000 women, and over 36,000 injured individuals.

The 4-day humanitarian pause, subject to extension, will include the release of as many as 150 female and child detainees from Israeli occupation prisons. It also involves the delivery of badly needed humanitarian aid and fuel supplies into the besieged territory.

In the hours leading up to the ceasefire, the Israeli occupation forces intensified their airstrikes in the northern, central, and southern regions of Gaza. These strikes targeted schools housing displaced civilians, hospitals, and homes, resulting in dozens of casualties.

Throughout the ceasefire period, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza will not be able to return to their homes in northern Gaza to assess the damage to
their homes and properties. The Israeli occupation forces, which invaded the northern regions of Gaza with tanks and armored personnel carriers, have threatened to target returning civilians.

Emergency and rescue teams will work to retrieve the bodies of victims from under the rubble. The number of missing individuals is estimated to be around 7,000, including over 4,700 children and women, revealing more atrocities committed by the occupying forces over the 48-day period.

Earlier, President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership welcomed the humanitarian pause agreement, reiterating their call for a comprehensive halt to the Israeli aggression.

They emphasized the urgent need to spare our people further suffering and prevent the genocide of Palestinian children and women.

Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hussein al-Sheikh, stated, “President Mahmoud Abbas and the leadership welcome the humanitarian pause agreement, appreciate the efforts of Qata
r and Egypt, and renew the call for a comprehensive halt to the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.”

“They also call for the entry of humanitarian aid and the implementation of a political solution based on international legitimacy, leading to the end of the occupation and the Palestinian people achieving their freedom, independence, and sovereignty,” he added.

Source: Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA