GAZA,(Palestine Foundation Information Center)Qatar announced a four-day “humanitarian ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday as part of a deal that includes the release of 50 captives being held by al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas in exchange for a number of Palestinian women and children in Israeli jails.
Qatar’s ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the major breakthrough at dawn today.
“The State of Qatar announces the success of its joint mediation efforts undertaken with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), resulting in an agreement for a humanitarian pause,” the statement read.
“The starting time of the pause will be announced within the next 24 hours and last for four days, subject to extension,” it added.
The Qatari statement added that the total number “of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement.”
Apart from the prisoners’ release, the Qatar-mediated agreement also entails the entry of “a larger number of humanitarian convoys and relief aid, including fuel designated for humanitarian needs” as the Strip suffers from a dire humanitarian situation under the tight Israeli siege.
The temporary truce comes following 47 days of relentless Israeli bombardment of the besieged Gaza Strip, where the occupation forces massacred over 14,100 Palestinians, though the true number is estimated to be much higher, including 5,840 children, according to Defense for Children International.
