Ceasefire in Gaza facing violations as diplomacy tries to steady the situation - As-salamu alaykum
As-salamu alaykum. About 100 Palestinians have been reported killed since the truce began on October 10, according to Gaza authorities.
Who can make sure the Gaza ceasefire holds?
Israel has continued airstrikes and shootings in Gaza, raising doubts about the fragile ceasefire with Hamas, while US envoys have stepped up diplomacy to try to keep the agreement alive.
Gaza’s Civil Defence said four people were killed in two separate incidents, both times by Israeli gunfire as they returned to check on their homes in the al-Shaaf area east of the Tuffah neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City.
Israel’s military said it fired at militants who crossed the so-called yellow line and approached troops in the nearby Shujayea area, claiming they posed a threat to soldiers.
The “yellow line,” shown on a map shared by US leadership on October 4, marks where Israeli troops pulled back and remained under the ceasefire terms. Residents in Gaza City say they’re confused about where that line actually runs because there’s no visible marker. “The whole area is in ruins. We saw the maps but we can’t tell where those lines are,” said Samir, 50, who lives in Taffah’s east.
Several outbreaks of violence have occurred since the US-brokered ceasefire started on October 10, with Gaza officials saying at least 97 Palestinians have been killed so far.
Both sides have accused each other of violating the truce. Israeli air raids on Sunday reportedly killed 42 people, including children, according to local health officials. Israel said the strikes were retaliation after Hamas fighters supposedly shot and killed two Israeli soldiers in Rafah. Hamas denied responsibility for that incident, saying it has no contact with remaining units in Israeli-controlled parts of Rafah and is “not responsible for any incidents” there, accusing Israel of using pretexts to resume fighting.
Hamas, which has released 20 living Israeli captives, said it is trying to complete handing over the remaining bodies of captives in Gaza but faces “major challenges because of the extensive destruction.” The Red Cross received the body of a 13th deceased captive and transferred it to Israeli authorities, according to Israel’s prime minister’s office.
At one point Israel threatened to stop humanitarian shipments into Gaza, though it later said it had resumed implementing the ceasefire. The UN said aid deliveries had restarted but did not specify quantities. Journalists on the ground reported that Israeli checkpoints were still blocking some aid trucks full of supplies.
There are also reports of new strikes in eastern Khan Younis, stoking fears the truce will not hold. The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees urged that the fragile ceasefire be respected and called for investigations into breaches of international humanitarian law.
Two US envoys traveled to Israel to try to bolster the deal, meeting with Israeli leaders, and senior US officials were also due to visit. Future steps discussed for the ceasefire include disarming armed groups, Israeli withdrawal from further areas of Gaza, and planning governance for the devastated territory under an internationally backed arrangement - proposals Hamas and allied factions have so far rejected, opposing any foreign administration and resisting calls to lay down arms.
Leaders on all sides blame the other for violations, and tensions inside Gaza have risen as Hamas security forces have returned to the streets and clashed with other armed groups.
May Allah protect civilians and grant safety to the innocent. We pray for an end to the violence and for a just and lasting peace in Palestine.
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