Agreement for another two days of “ceasefire”, while diplomatic work continues: the visit of the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is expected in Israel and the West Bank this week. The release of new hostages and prisoners is expected today
A new glimmer of temporary peace is opening up for Gaza: another two days of “ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas, the result of the exchange agreement, in the next few hours, of 20 Israeli hostages for the release of 60 Palestinian prisoners. A Qatar Airways plane, which had already arrived in Tel Aviv last Saturday carrying a delegation arriving from Doha, landed in Israel this morning. The return of the Qatari delegation has particular importance for the release of new hostages in the coming days. Israel and the Emirate do not have diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, during the night, the 33 prisoners released on the last day by the Israeli prison authorities arrived in Ramallah. The hostages freed by Hamas in Tel Aviv.
The United States visits Israel and the West Bank
The work of diplomacy continues, with the American secretary of state, Blinken, expected in these days in Israel and the West Bank, where he will discuss Israel’s right to defend itself, the efforts for the rapid release of the remaining hostages, but also the protection of civilians in Israeli military operations in Gaza and above all the acceleration of humanitarian assistance to the population exhausted by the conflict. The US and Qatar are now pushing to extend the truce and increase humanitarian assistance.
Israel’s operations beyond Gaza
Israeli military operations also continue in the north against Lebanon and Syria. In particular, Damascus has asked the UN to condemn the attack two days ago on the capital’s international airport. Syria’s Foreign Ministry called the latest attacks “a grave threat” to regional and global peace. The Syrian ministry stressed that such repeated assaults on Syrian civilian airports “not only jeopardized the peace and security of the region, but also violated relevant United Nations resolutions.”
