In a major development, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a prisoner exchange deal and a brief truce, aiming to bring some respite to the war-torn Gaza Strip. The agreement, mediated by Qatar, stipulates the release of 39 Palestinian detainees this Friday. These prisoners will be moved from two prisons southeast of Haifa to Ofer Prison, south of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. There, a final check will be conducted by the Red Cross before the prisoners are transported to Gaza via the Beitunia border crossing.

Despite these positive steps, the region remains a hotspot of tension. A tragic incident was reported where an Israeli projectile hit a UN school in Gaza, resulting in 27 casualties and injuring over 93 people. Israel has not yet addressed the incident officially. The death toll in Gaza continues to rise, currently standing at 14,854, including 6,150 children and 4,000 women.

International Involvement and Military Actions

On the international front, Germany has closed a deal to purchase the Arrow 3 missile defense system from Israel, a transaction valued at 3.6 billion USD. Meanwhile, Israel’s military has stated it would continue operations in Gaza until the ceasefire begins, potentially intensifying attacks in the north. Israel has retaliated against 35 rockets fired into its territory from Lebanon, with Hezbollah claiming responsibility for 48 rockets. The IDF has reported hitting over 300 Hamas targets in a single day in Gaza, including military headquarters, underground tunnels, weapons depots, and rocket launch sites.

Amid the escalating violence, there’s a glimmer of hope as a ceasefire, brokered by Qatar, is set to begin today . Palestinians stranded in Egypt due to the conflict will be allowed to return to Gaza through the Rafah crossing on the same day. Furthermore, during the four-day ceasefire, 200 aid trucks will transport supplies and medical equipment to all regions of Gaza.