Israel’s airstrikes hit new targets in and around Gaza City before soldiers on the ground continued searching for Hamas fighters.
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lThe ceasefire agreed for this Thursday will facilitate the exchange of 50 kidnapped Israeli hostages and 150 Palestinians detained in Israel.
There was no ceasefire in the hours after the ceasefire was announced. Hamas also fired several rockets into the Israeli city of Sderot.
The ceasefire will allow urgently needed aid to reach Gaza. However, the large number of displaced Palestinians will still not be able to permanently return to their homeland. Many have no opportunity to return there.
The Israeli government has released the names of 300 Palestinian prisoners who could be released. These include 33 women, 123 young people and 144 men aged around 18. The majority are prisoners who have not yet been brought to trial.
The hostages’ families hope that the agreement will be expanded as planned and that 10 more Israeli hostages and 30 Palestinian prisoners will be released each day after the first exchange.
The ceasefire, which could last up to ten days, is a relief for the civilian population of the devastated Gaza enclave.
Israeli bombings have killed more than 14,100 people in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian authorities.
Another 6,800 are believed to be dead under the rubble or their bodies left in the devastated streets of Gaza.
Additional sources • Enrique Barrueco (voice-over)