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Since beginning seven weeks ago, Israel’s war in Gaza has aimed to remove Hamas from power in the enclave and to free the hostages Hamas abducted on October 7th. At times, these objectives have been in conflict. For example, air strikes meant to damage Hamas’s network of underground tunnels risked killing the hostages held in those tunnels.
As of November 22nd, after weeks of negotiations, the Israeli cabinet has approved a deal to see Hamas free 50 women and children out of approximately 240 hostages in Gaza. However, Israel will have to temporarily halt its war and faces pressure not to resume it.
For the 2.2m Palestinians trapped in Gaza, the truce will bring a different dissonance. It is expected to provide a brief calm and a promised influx of humanitarian aid. However, few people crammed into dirty, overcrowded shelters will be able to savor the respite, fearing that the truce’s end will mean another round of fighting.
The prisoner swap and four-day truce were set to begin on November 24th. Hostages would be released in phases: about a dozen each night, sent from Gaza to Egypt and then to Israel. For each hostage freed, Israel was to release three Palestinian prisoners (women and teenagers) from its jails.
Israel also agreed to allow 300 lorries carrying humanitarian aid to enter Gaza each day during that period—a significant increase over the previous month when the daily average was just 45 lorries. President Joe Biden welcomed the pact but cautioned that “it is important that all aspects of this deal be fully implemented.”
Polls have shown Israelis are divided over such a scheme. The Israel Democracy Institute, a think-tank, found that 45% of Israeli Jews opposed a prisoner swap, while 40% supported it. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right national-security minister, called it a “very, very big mistake.”
The negotiation drama in Israel continued with pressure on Qatar, which led to the freeing of four female hostages. This, however, was quickly followed by Israel sending troops into Gaza, reshaping the negotiations. Hamas indicated it could release more hostages, but only in return for a pause in fighting.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas also has the option of offering to release more hostages at the end of the four-day period. Each ten additional captives it sets free will buy another 24 hours of truce. Israel fears this will give Mr Sinwar some control over events.
Nevertheless, regardless of what happens in the next four days, both Israel’s war objectives remain intact, and much of the world is united in calling for a permanent ceasefire. For Hamas, however, the survival is victory, even though it means enduring until a ceasefire.
Amidst all this, Gaza’s population continues to suffer. The death toll, destruction, and displacement suffered by the people continue to worsen throughout the conflict. Interim truces offer little relief for those affected. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains precarious. Nevertheless, hope for a ceasefire remains.