Israel-Hamas War: Truce deal in Gaza enters into force

GAZA: The first temporary humanitarian truce between Hamas and Israel entered into force at 7:00 a.m. local time on Friday in the Gaza Strip.

Confirming the truce agreement had taken effect, Diaa Rashwan, chairman of Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS), said in a statement that 130,000 liters of diesel and four trucks of gas from Egypt will enter the Gaza Strip daily, Xinhua news agency reported.

Some 200 trucks, loaded with food, medicine and water, can enter daily for the first time since the start of the war on October 7, he said.

“Some seven fuel trucks have entered the Gaza Strip so far,” an anonymous security official source at Rafah crossing told Xinhua, adding that 230 trucks carrying aid and fuel will enter today.

There are about 600 Palestinians stranded on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, said the source, and some 17 ambulances are waiting to transfer the wounded.

Egypt will continue to receive wounded and injured children from Gaza for treatment in Egyptian hospitals, helping foreigners and dual nationals detained in the Gaza Strip travel to their own countries, the SIS’s chairman said.

Rashwan added that the Egyptian side will also allow the entry of Palestinians stranded in the country into the Gaza Strip at their will.

The truce is scheduled to be followed by the release of 13 Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip at 4:00 p.m. local time (1400 GMT).

Hamas and Israel reached an agreement earlier this week on a four-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Under the deal, Hamas would release at least 50 hostages from Gaza in exchange for some 150 Palestinian detainees held in Israel.

Israeli troops have been conducting airstrikes and a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip since October 7, in retaliation for a surprise attack staged by Hamas.

Israel said the Hamas assault killed about 1,200 people while more than 200 hostages were taken to Gaza. At the same time, the Palestinian death toll from the Israeli strikes in Gaza has reached 14,532 so far, according to the Hamas-run media office in Gaza. (IANS)

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