‘Relief’ In Gaza As Truce Takes Effect In Israel-Hamas War

Aid begins to trickle in to Gaza as the first pause begins after seven weeks of hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

A Qatar-mediated four-day truce has taken effect in Israel’s war on Gaza. The first pause after seven weeks of bombardment has been met with relief by Palestinians.

During the humanitarian break in the fighting, which began at 7am (05:00 GMT) on Friday, 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and 50 captives held by the Hamas armed group in Gaza are due to  be released.

Palestinians and 13 Israelis freed, are expected on Friday afternoon.

In the hours preceding the start of the truce, Israeli bombing intensified across the Gaza Strip, with attacks in Rafah and the city of Khan Younis in the south, as well as constant artillery shelling in the north of the enclave.

Almog Boker, a correspondent for the Israeli station Channel 13, has posted a video online showing Israeli soldiers celebrating from afar as a number of buildings were destroyed in the northern Gaza Strip in the last hour before the start of the truce.

The first pause in the fighting was met with huge relief by Palestinians, who were rejoicing to be safe from Israeli bombardment for the first time in weeks,  Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reported from Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

“This is the first time that we have not heard Israeli drones since the beginning of this round of fighting,” he said. “People sense that there is a glimmer of hope that this short-term pause will pave the way for a longer ceasefire.”

ALJAZEERA