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Gaza ceasefire agreement

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry says an agreement has been reached to unblock the movement of Palestinians from southern Gaza toward its north. It added that the agreement was reached after the Hamas resistance movement said it would release an Israeli captive, Arbel Yehud. The ministry said Yehud, whom Israel claims should’ve been released last week, will be freed along with two other captives on Thursday. As a result, Israel has agreed to allow Gazans to move to the northern part of the territory starting on Monday morning. Qatar also said Hamas has provided them with a list of captives who will be released throughout the first phase of the prisoner exchange deal. The ministry said Israel will also hand over a list of four-hundred people who have been arrested since October 7th, 2023. A source in the Hamas military wing said the increase in the number of captives was the initiative of the resistance. The source added that the number of live captives is greater than expected, and enough to allow exchanges for the entire duration of the first phase. The Gaza ceasefire agreement includes three phases, with the first phase expected to last 42 days.

Israel violating Gaza truce

The Israeli regime continues to violate the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas, killing and injuring more civilians across the besieged territory. A Palestinian man was killed in the southern city of Rafah, after being shot by Israeli snipers stationed along the so-called Philadelphi Corridor. Another Palestinian was killed, and several others were injured by Israeli gunfire on the al-Rashid Road in central Gaza. According to medical sources, 23 bodies were brought to Gaza’s hospitals during the past 72 hours. They included 14 bodies recovered from the rubble, five others who succumbed to their injuries, and four victims of new Israeli attacks. The new casualties came as thousands of displaced Palestinians were waiting to return to their homes in northern Gaza. The new fatalities have increased the death toll from the Israeli aggression against Gaza to over 47,300. Nearly 111,500 others have been injured.

Israel aggression against Lebanon

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has been extended for about three more weeks, after the regime refused to withdraw its forces in line with the original deal. The announcement came through an official statement by the White House. It confirmed that the arrangement between Lebanon and Israel will continue to be in effect until February 18, 2025. It added that Lebanon, Israel and the US will also hold negotiations for the return of Lebanese prisoners abducted after October 7, 2023. The Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati also confirmed the extension, adding that Lebanon will respect it. The new development came after, earlier on Sunday, Israeli forces opened fire on the Lebanese people who were trying to return to their homes in the south, killing at least 22 civilians and wounding more than 120 others. The Lebanese citizens, however, vowed they would return to their villages and towns, despite Israeli threats.

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