The war in the Gaza Strip is a brutal and long-lasting armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinian organization Hamas, which has intensified particularly after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Since then, Israeli forces have been conducting an intensive military operation that has led to massive civilian losses, destruction of infrastructure and a deepening of the humanitarian crisis. This conflict has deep political, religious and historical roots. A ceasefire has been in place in the Gaza Strip since October 10.
Previous information regarding the Gaza Strip you will find here.
An Israeli drone killed a Palestinian despite the ceasefire. The second victim also died
According to Al-Jazeera, despite the ceasefire, isolated Israeli attacks are taking place in the Gaza Strip. As Nasser Hospital reported on Thursday, one person was killed as a result of an Israeli drone attack in Khan Yunis. At least one other person was also injured in the attack.
On Thursday, information about another victim also appeared. The second person died from gunshot wounds that occurred two days earlier in Gaza City.
Aid arrives in the Gaza Strip
Although Israel continues to limit the number of aid vehicles, dozens of them enter the Strip every day, bringing vital supplies, including flour and basic food products, provided by the UN World Food Program. As a result, bakeries opened in the Gaza Strip.
Aid currently reaches the Gaza Strip through border crossings with Israel.
— By God's grace, we finally started getting help. I went to the market and bought some canned vegetables. I started seeing meat and chicken at affordable prices compared to the past. Now I can put food on the table and, as you can see, my kids are eating a decent meal, thank God. I pray that the future will bring us happier days, one Palestinian resident told Al-Jazeera.
The Gaza-Egypt crossing will be opened, but not for humanitarian aid
Rafah is the only border crossing connecting the Gaza Strip with Egypt. The opening of the crossing is part of the agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The crossing is to be opened on Thursday, two sources told Reuters on Wednesday. It was previously reported that the point would be supervised by a civilian, unarmed mission of the European Union (EUBAM-Rafah).
“It should be emphasized that no humanitarian aid will be transported through the Rafah crossing. No agreement has been reached on this matter at any stage,” added a statement on Thursday by COGAT, the Israeli Ministry of Defense agency responsible for civilian activities in the Gaza Strip.
Türkiye ready to join international forces in Gaza
Türkiye said it was ready to send its armed forces to an international task force to be established in the Gaza Strip in line with the ceasefire plan.
Turkish Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler said that during yesterday's meeting of NATO defense ministers, important sessions were held, including: discussions about the alliance and its ongoing humanitarian activities.
The Italian news agency ANSA reported that Italian opposition parties, including the Democratic Party and the Five Star Movement, supported the government's plan to send troops to the Gaza Strip as part of a peace mission, which Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke about last week.
Israel's defense minister ordered the development of a plan to defeat Hamas if fighting resumes
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Kac said on Wednesday evening that he had ordered the military to develop “a comprehensive plan to completely defeat Hamas in the Gaza Strip if it refuses to implement President (US Donald) Trump's plan and a resumption of fighting becomes necessary.”
“If Hamas refuses to implement the agreement, Israel, in cooperation with the United States, will return to fighting and take actions aimed at the complete defeat of Hamas, changing the situation in the Gaza Strip and achieving all war goals,” the statement added.
US President Donald Trump told CNN on Wednesday that he might consider allowing Israel to resume hostilities in the Gaza Strip if Hamas refuses to honor its end of the ceasefire agreement.
Trump: Hamas must disarm
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that Hamas must disarm. “If they don't do it, we will,” he warned.
He assured that American forces would not be needed for this. “There is no reason for the US military to be involved in the Gaza Strip,” he added.
— We will help Israel. We have many other countries. (…) Many of these countries have relatively strong military capabilities. And Hamas has no support. Hamas had the support of Iran. And now Iran says don't involve them, the president continued.
The US military on Wednesday called on Palestinian Hamas to stop violence against civilians and disarm. Since the truce was concluded on Friday, Hamas has taken control of the areas abandoned by Israeli troops. The group reports that it is killing “gang” members and Israeli collaborators.
Hamas released another two bodies of hostages
The Israeli army said on Wednesday evening that Hamas had handed over two coffins containing the remains of hostages to the Red Cross. The Red Cross will hand over the bodies to Israeli soldiers stationed in the Gaza Strip, from where, after a short mourning ceremony, they will be transported to Israel for identification, the military added.
Hamas did not reveal the identity of the released bodies. If it is confirmed that the remains handed over on Wednesday evening belonged to the hostages, the bodies of 19 kidnapped people will still remain in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigade, announced on Wednesday evening that it had fulfilled its obligations and released 20 hostages alive on Monday, and later released the bodies of all of the 28 dead “who were reached.”
It added that the transfer of additional bodies would require “great effort and specialized search equipment” and Hamas “is making every effort to solve this problem.”
