Israeli officials announced they will retain oversight of the Rafah border crossing that connects Egypt to the Gaza Strip during the initial phase of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
A declaration from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied circulating claims that the Western-backed Palestinian Authority would assume control over the crossing.
The current ceasefire, now extending into its fourth day, aims to bring a period of tranquility to war-torn Gaza for at least six weeks, during which 33 hostages held by Hamas are expected to be released in exchange for a significant number of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel.
According to the statement, European Union monitors will oversee the crossing, which will be secured by Israeli military forces, while Israel will retain the authority to approve any movement of people and goods.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas members launched an incursion into Israeli territory, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, predominantly civilians, and the abduction of around 250 more.
As of now, about 100 hostages remain within Gaza, with many presumed dead. The majority of those abducted have either been released, rescued, or their bodies recovered.
In the ongoing military campaign by Israel, local health authorities report that over 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza have lost their lives, with women and children constituting more than half of those fatalities, although specific numbers of fighters among the deceased have not been detailed.
Israeli officials claim to have killed over 17,000 militants during their operations, although they have not provided substantiating evidence for these figures.
In recent developments, Israeli forces have encircled a hospital in the West Bank where many Palestinians are reportedly trapped amid a military operation.
According to officials from the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least ten individuals have died in this area over the last two days due to the ongoing military action.
The Israeli military stated that their objective was to detonate explosive devices believed to have been planted by militants beneath the roads surrounding the hospital in Jenin.
Authorities instructed patients and medical staff to remain inside the facility while the explosive detonation occurred.
Military bulldozers have been engaged in significant road work in the Jenin area.
A nurse at the Jenin Government Hospital reported the distressing situation, stating that. “Patients were terrified” as hundreds found themselves unable to leave for extended periods.
Pregnant women and elderly individuals were observed making their way past ambulances and armored vehicles, fleeing from the hospital while gunfire echoed through desolate streets, accompanied by low-flying military drones and aircraft.
“There’s no medicine, no food, no supplies, nothing,” lamented Ashram Abu Sroor, a hospital exitee.
According to an Israeli military spokesperson, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, the operation’s main goal is to eliminate roadside bombs placed by militants targeting Israeli forces.
Over the years, there has been a consistent pattern of clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants in Jenin, predating the current conflict focused in Gaza.
In a separate development, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced the release of the crew members from the Galaxy Leader, a commercial vessel taken in November 2023 at the onset of their operations in the Red Sea corridor.
They declared on Wednesday that the sailors were freed following mediation efforts by Oman.
The crew comprised 25 individuals hailing from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Mexico.
The Houthi rebels asserted that they captured the ship due to its alleged connection to Israel, as part of a broader strategy to target vessels in international waters, a campaign that only ceased with the recent truce in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Furthermore, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Gaza reported that aid deliveries are proceeding smoothly without significant incidents of looting.
On the third day of the ceasefire, nearly 900 aid trucks entered Gaza, surpassing the target of 600 stipulated in the cessation agreement.
Muhannad Hadi, who recently returned to Jerusalem from Gaza, expressed immense joy at witnessing Palestinian families beginning to look towards a hopeful future, some heading home and others clearing debris from the streets.
In conversations with families benefitting from a communal kitchen run by the U.N. World Food Program, Hadi noted a keen desire among them to regain independence from humanitarian assistance and return to work.
Additionally, there are reports of urgent needs for shelter, bedding, and fresh clothes, particularly for women who have been using the same garments for over a year, with a shipment of tents anticipated soon.
