More than 48,230 people have reportedly been killed in Gaza due to the ongoing Israeli offensive. However, Israel has denied the death toll figures presented by the Hamas-run health ministry. As tensions rise, President Trump has suggested ending the current ceasefire if Hamas does not release all hostages held in Gaza by the predetermined deadline.
Since the ceasefire took effect on January 19, 16 Israeli and 5 Thai hostages have been released. This exchange was for 766 prisoners. However, Israel has announced its intention to resume bombing if three hostages are not released on time. The initial six-week phase of the ceasefire anticipates the release of 33 hostages in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel.
Hamas has postponed the release of hostages, alleging Israeli violations of the ceasefire. This staged release strategy has further infuriated Israel. Despite these setbacks, US, Egyptian, and Qatari mediators have worked tirelessly to prevent a collapse of the ceasefire. Notable mediators include Russian-Israeli Alexander Troufanov, Argentine-Israeli Yair Horn, and US-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen.
In a significant development, Hamas has disclosed the names of three hostages set to be freed on Saturday. This release is part of a larger exchange involving Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The ongoing conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel. This attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages being taken.
There are still 73 hostages from the October 7 incident who remain captive in Gaza. Amidst this tense backdrop, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) published video footage of a failed rocket launch from Gaza on Thursday. The rocket misfired and landed within Gaza, according to the IDF.
Leave a Reply