Gaza war: What do the pause in fighting and the release of hostages mean?
With the ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist Hamas brokered by Qatar, the Gaza war entered a new phase on Friday. For the first time in seven weeks, the guns are largely silent again.
The ceasefire is intended to pave the way for the gradual release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners in Israel, as well as for more humanitarian aid to be brought into the Gaza Strip. Important questions and answers:
Who are the hostages to be released?
During the initial four-day ceasefire, 50 hostages are to be released from the hands of the Islamist Hamas. Initially, mothers, children and young people as well as older women were to be released, it was said. Should the ceasefire be extended - to a maximum of ten days - Hamas would have to release a further ten hostages every day. The hostages are either Israelis or residents of Israel - but according to reports, they could also include people with dual citizenship. Initially, 13 women and children were to be released on Friday.
After their release, little is likely to be known about the hostages and their fate. The military called on the public and the media to be patient and sensitive. Psychologists assume that the children in particular could be severely traumatized after seven weeks of being held hostage. They also experienced the worst violence on October 7, when terrorists from Hamas and other groups killed around 1,200 people in the Israeli border area. It is unclear how many of the 240 or so people abducted at the time are still alive and where exactly they are being held in the Gaza Strip.
Who are the Palestinian prisoners that Israel will release?
Around three prisoners are to be released for every hostage released. Israel has published a list of a maximum of 300 people who could be released. 123 of the 300 Palestinians listed are young people under the age of 18. The youngest are 14 years old. According to the list, 33 prisoners are girls and women. The prisoners are accused of throwing firebombs, arson and knife attacks, among other things. According to media reports on Friday, 39 female Palestinian prisoners, minors and juveniles were on their way to a central Israeli prison before their planned release. The news website Ynet reported that 24 of them were female prisoners.
Have there already been deals to free hostages in the past?
Yes. The prisoner exchange for the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit, who was kidnapped in 2006 and held captive by Hamas for several years, is still considered controversial. He was released in 2011 in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The current head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Jihia al-Sinwar, was also released.
Is Hamas benefiting from the ceasefire?
That is certain. However, it is unclear how much advantage it can gain from it, especially as the Israeli military is in control of the north. In any case, there are fears in Israel that Hamas could use the time to reposition itself and emerge stronger from the ceasefire. Moreover, the terrorist organization will still be holding many hostages after the end of the ceasefire, which it is likely to continue to use as bargaining chips.
Are Israeli soldiers still in the Gaza Strip?
Yes, the Israeli military intensified its attacks in the Gaza Strip shortly before the ceasefire came into force and is not withdrawing its troops. Thousands of Israeli soldiers are stationed in the north of the sealed-off coastal area.
Can Palestinians now move freely in the Gaza Strip?
No. Israel has effectively divided the Gaza Strip in two with its ground offensive in the north. On Friday, after the ceasefire began, soldiers were deployed to prevent displaced Palestinians from the south of the Gaza Strip from reaching their former homes in the north to inspect them or check on relatives. According to Hamas sources, two people were killed by gunfire in the central area of the Gaza Strip and others were injured as they tried to reach the north. Eyewitnesses also reported that the army had used tear gas. An Israeli military spokesman said the reports were being investigated. There was extensive freedom of movement in the southern part.
What does the ceasefire mean for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip?
After around seven weeks of war, the suffering people in Gaza are completely demoralized and aid workers are speaking of a dramatic humanitarian crisis. According to UN figures, more than 1.7 million people - around three quarters of the population - are now internally displaced. There is a shortage of pretty much everything: food, water and medicines are in very short supply, as are the opportunities for medical treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 22 of the 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip have now ceased operations. According to the UN, there are now only around 1,400 of the 3,500 hospital beds that were previously available - although the number of injured people is increasing.
According to the Hamas authorities, almost 15,000 people have been killed and more than 36,000 injured as a result of the massive Israeli air strikes and the ground offensive in the northern part of the Strip. The figures could not initially be independently verified, but are considered generally credible by the UN and diplomats.
How much additional aid can the population now receive?
As part of the ceasefire agreement, a significant increase in humanitarian aid was also agreed. On Friday, for example, around 200 trucks with relief supplies were to arrive in the Gaza Strip, including tankers with fuel and gas. Fuel is particularly important, for example to run generators for hospitals and the drinking water supply. According to UN figures, before the war an average of around 500 trucks brought supplies into the Gaza Strip every day. Around 100 truckloads per day are needed to guarantee basic humanitarian supplies. The UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) wants to use the lull in fighting to distribute urgently needed relief supplies. Israel is monitoring the aid deliveries very closely - for fear that deliveries could also benefit the Islamist Hamas.
How great is the extent of the destruction in the Gaza Strip?
Enormous, that much is certain, as countless photos from the war zone show. At the same time, there is hardly any reliable data on the exact extent of the destruction. According to US researchers, between 56,000 and 74,000 buildings have probably been damaged since the start of the war. This is the result of an analysis by the Decentralized Damage Mapping Group (DDMG), in which a group of US scientists examined the attacks in the coastal area using satellite data. According to the analysis, 40 to 50 percent of the buildings in the northern Gaza Strip were damaged.
Could the ceasefire lead to an end to the war?
It doesn't look like it at the moment. Israel has made it very clear that it sees the ceasefire as just that - a pause. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that the war will continue "until we have achieved all our goals". This included the elimination of Hamas and the return of all hostages. In addition, there must no longer be any threat to Israel in Gaza. Hamas, on the other hand, has the ultimate goal of establishing an Islamic state on the territory of the entire historical Palestine. Hamas wants to destroy the state of Israel. A Hamas spokesman has also threatened to repeat the massacres of October 7. The USA, but also Germany, have so far supported Israel's rejection of a long-term ceasefire.
What is Israel's long-term plan for the Gaza Strip?
That is still unclear. Prime Minister Netanyahu has said that Israel must continue to play a role in securing the territory even after a victory over Hamas. At the same time, the USA, arguably Israel's most important ally, is expressly warning against a renewed occupation of the Gaza Strip. The US government wants the Palestinian Authority to be responsible for the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank in future. The long-term hope is a two-state solution, i.e. a peaceful coexistence of Israel and a Palestinian state - which currently seems unrealistic.
The release of 50 hostages, including Israelis and potential dual citizens, is planned during the initial four-days of the ceasefire, with Hamas having to release additional hostages if the truce extends. The Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel are accused of various offenses such as throwing firebombs, arson, and knife attacks.
The conflicts in the Middle East, specifically the Gaza Strip, have resulted in a humanitarian crisis for the civilian population, with over 1.7 million internally displaced people facing severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. The ceasefire, while providing some relief, has not yet led to an end to the war as Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasizes that the war will continue until all objectives are achieved.
Source: www.dpa.com
