Israel says no hostage release before Friday, continues bombing Gaza
The four-day truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been delayed until Friday, Israel's National Security Adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, said. Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on Wednesday to release 50 hostages kidnapped by Hamas in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. Israel's public broadcaster Kan said the agreement was delayed by 24 hours because Hamas and mediator Qatar didn't sign the deal. Meanwhile, Israel continued attacks on Gaza which killed over 140 Palestinians on Wednesday, The Guardian reported.
Why does this story matter?
The truce was initially set to begin on Thursday. The delay in the truce, believed to be a breakthrough deal after one-and-a-half months of bloodbath, has dampened hopes of alleviating the human cost of the ongoing war. The war started on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping others. Responding to the attack, Israel has killed at least 14,532 people in Gaza, including 6,000 children and 3,920 women.
Fighting intensified overnight, say residents
Gaza City residents reported that fighting intensified overnight into Wednesday, with gunfire, heavy artillery, and airstrikes. Residents speculated that Israel wanted to advance before the truce. In response, Hamas fired rockets at Israel throughout the day, but no injuries were reported. Days before the agreement for the pause, Israel said it was determined to expand its ground offensive into southern Gaza, where it told hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee from the northern area of the besieged enclave.
Over 140 killed amid bombing in Gaza
An Israeli attack on southern Lebanon reportedly killed five Hezbollah members, including the son of a Lebanese parliamentarian. Israeli forces carried out several raids across the occupied West Bank, and at least one person was killed in the Balata refugee camp. Israeli airstrikes have killed around 81 people in central Gaza since midnight, while bombings around the Jabalia refugee camp have killed 60 people, apart from nine deaths reported at the al-Nuseirat refugee camp, as per The Guardian.
What are the conditions under the truce?
The awaited truce is expected to allow the entry of hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian, medical, and fuel supplies into Gaza. Israel has agreed to halt air missions over southern Gaza and maintain a daily six-hour no-fly window in the north, as per Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Red Cross will visit the hostages and provide them with medical supplies. Netanyahu repeated twice that the war would continue and Israel wouldn't stop until absolute victory.
