Status: 27.11.2023, 18:36 PM
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Israeli soldiers work on a tank at an army compound near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip. © Ohad Zwigenberg/AP/dpa
The ceasefire in the Gaza war is to be extended by two days, raising hopes that more hostages will be released. The overview.
Gaza/Tel Aviv - The ceasefire in the Gaza war is being extended. According to Qatar's mediator, Israel and the Islamist Hamas agreed to extend the ceasefire, which was initially scheduled to last four days, by two days. This was announced by the spokesman of the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Majid al-Ansari, on Monday evening, a few hours before the end of the first ceasefire. This means that the ceasefire, which has been in force since Friday morning, is likely to last until Thursday morning.
The release of more Israeli hostages was expected on Monday. According to the Egyptian State Information Service (SIS), 33 hostages held in the Gaza Strip were expected to be released. Negotiations are underway to release <> Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in return. More hostages were to be released as part of the extended ceasefire.
It would be the fourth group of hostages released from Israeli jails since the ceasefire began on Friday in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. So far, 58 hostages have been released, including eight German dual nationals. In return, 117 Palestinians were released from detention. According to the deal between Israel and Hamas, the ceasefire can be extended to up to ten days. During this time, it will be possible to exchange up to 100 hostages for up to 300 Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli government spokesman Eilon Levi said 184 hostages were still being held in the Gaza Strip. Of these, 14 are foreigners and 80 are Israelis with a second passport.
U.S. Government: Not All Hostages in Gaza Are in the Hands of Hamas
The U.S. government pointed out that not all people abducted to the Gaza Strip may be held by the Islamist Hamas. In order to free more hostages against Palestinian prisoners from Israel, Hamas must also find and retrieve these hostages, National Security Council communications director John Kirby said on US television. It can be assumed that there are other groups that are holding some of the hostages. Kirby did not give a number.
Calls for a permanent ceasefire
UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that the UN had been able to increase its aid deliveries thanks to the ceasefire. However, this is far from enough. "The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is getting worse every day," Guterres said. He called for a "complete humanitarian ceasefire." In addition, all remaining hostages must also be released. Saudi Arabia and Jordan also called for a ceasefire.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) warned on Monday that the current ceasefire should be used as a bridge to a political process for a lasting solution to the conflict.
Germany supports kibbutz reconstruction in Israel
Germany will provide financial support for the reconstruction of the communities in Israel destroyed by Hamas. During a visit to Kibbutz Beeri, which was attacked by the terrorists on 7 October, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced on Monday that the Bundestag would provide an amount of seven million euros for this place in 2024 on his initiative. This was to be used to finance the reconstruction of a cultural centre and a meeting centre for senior citizens in Beeri.
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Kibbutz Beeri, co-founded by German Jews, is located in the immediate vicinity of the Gaza Strip. The Hamas terrorists almost completely destroyed it. More than 130 of the approximately 1300 inhabitants were killed, and more than 50 were abducted.
Islamist terrorists from the Gaza Strip entered Israel on October 7, killing more than 1200,240 people. About 15 hostages were abducted, including several Germans. Israel responded with massive air strikes, a blockade of the Gaza Strip, and launched a ground offensive in late October. According to the Islamist Hamas, almost 000,<> people were killed.
UN: Too little food and fuel in the Gaza Strip
More aid has reached people in the Gaza Strip, but according to the UN Office for Emergency Relief, it meets only minimal needs. The food supply continues to be difficult. Many people still lack food and fuel for cooking. The north of the Gaza Strip is particularly affected. Livestock is threatened by fodder and water shortages. "Across the Gaza Strip, farmers are slaughtering their animals because they desperately need food and lack food to keep the animals alive," OCHA said.
HRW: Misfired Rocket Likely Cause of Explosion at Gaza Clinic
According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the explosion at the Al-Ahli hospital in the Gaza Strip was probably caused by a misfired rocket fired by Palestinian armed groups. However, further investigations are needed to determine who fired the suspected missile and whether laws of war were violated, HRW said. After the explosion on October 17, Israel spoke of the impact of an errant rocket fired by the Palestinian militant organization Islamic Jihad.
Israelis after Hamas hostage: No abuse, little food
Meanwhile, the first released prisoners report that they were held hostage: They were not mistreated, but the conditions were harsh, the Israeli newspaper "Yedioth Achronot" reported, citing relatives. People would have prepared their own food. "But there were also days when there was nothing to eat, and sometimes the deportees had to wait an hour and a half before they were allowed to go to the toilet," the newspaper quoted Merav Raviv, a member of the Münder family, as saying.
Keren Munder, along with her nine-year-old son Ohad and grandmother Ruti, were abducted into the Gaza Strip during the bloody Hamas attack on October 7. They were released on Friday as part of the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel: Musk's Starlink only with Israel's permission in Gaza
Tech billionaire Elon Musk will only use his Starlink satellite communications system in the Gaza Strip with Israeli approval, according to Israeli sources. Musk has agreed on this in principle with the Ministry of Communications, Minister Shlomo Karhi wrote on Musk's Platform X (formerly Twitter). Musk visited Israel on Monday.
At the end of October, Musk announced that he wanted to use his company SpaceX's satellite communications system to help restore interrupted communications with internationally recognized aid organizations in the Gaza Strip. In response, Israel declared that it would do everything in its power to prevent this. The reason is that the Islamist Hamas would abuse the system for terrorist purposes. Dpa