Gaza ceasefire: Extremist group Hamas is expected to make more exchanges between hostages and prisoners in Israeli jails on Saturday, the second day of the ceasefire. The ceasefire has allowed vital humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip and brought relief to civilians for the first time since seven weeks of war. On the first day of a four-day ceasefire, Hamas released 24 of the approximately 240 people taken hostage during the October 7 attack on Israel in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Among the released hostages, 13 people are from Israel, 10 from Thailand and one from Philippines.
Hamas has to release at least 50 hostages
During these four days, Hamas has to release at least 50 Israeli hostages and in return Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners. Israel has said that the ceasefire could be extended for another day in exchange for the release of every 10 additional hostages. US President Joe Biden said that he hopes this will happen. This ceasefire, which started on Friday morning, brought relief to 23 lakh people of Gaza who were suffering from continuous bombardment by Israel for the last several weeks and lack of supply of basic needs.
The ceasefire continues for four days
Thousands of people lost their lives in this bombing, three-fourths of the population became homeless and residential areas were destroyed. Air attacks on Israel by extremists from Gaza have also stopped. The United Nations said that the ceasefire, which started on October 21, has accelerated the efforts to provide humanitarian aid and has opened the way for the supply of food, water and medicine on a large scale. Along with this, supply of gas for cooking was also started.
Queue in Gaza for fuel
Gas has been supplied for the first time since the war started. Long queues of people were seen at a fuel station in the southern city of Khan Yunis on Saturday. For the first time this month, humanitarian aid could be delivered to northern Gaza. This area had been the center of ground attack by the Israeli army. A UN aid convoy delivered flour to two shelters set up for displaced people. The United Nations said it and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society evacuated 40 patients and attendants from a hospital in Gaza City to a hospital in Khan Younis.