Israeli Bombardment of Gaza Persists despite Delayed Truce
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israel asserts an ongoing assault in Gaza, persisting despite agreeing to a four-day truce with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.
An unnamed Israeli regime official informed AFP early on Thursday that both the temporary ceasefire and the anticipated prisoner release have encountered delays, pushing their implementation to Friday at the earliest.
Tzachi Hanegbi, an adviser to the regime's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed the postponement of prisoner release, emphasizing it will adhere to the original pact between parties and it will not occur before Friday.
Reasons for the delay remain undisclosed, leaving uncertainty regarding the commencement of the four-day hiatus on attacks against Gaza, expected to start Thursday at 10 a.m. local time.
On Wednesday, the Palestinian resistance movement announced a truce mediated by Qatar and Egypt, ensuring a pause in Israeli assaults and permitting the entry of humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and fuel trucks into Gaza. Additionally, the agreement involves releasing 50 Israeli war prisoners in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails.
However, despite the truce agreement, Israel continued its attacks on Gaza, targeting various areas and causing injuries. Reports indicated airstrikes hitting a house in Rafah, south of Gaza, injuring multiple individuals according to Palestine’s WAFA news agency. Strikes also occurred in al-Fokhari and other locations, resulting in casualties.
Since October 7, when Israel initiated the war on Gaza following the Palestinian resistance movement's Al-Aqsa Storm operation, approximately 14,500 Palestinians, mainly women and children, have been killed, with around 35,000 others injured. Israel has imposed a severe blockade on Gaza, restricting access to fuel, electricity, food, and water for over two million Palestinians residing there.
