Israel Air Strikes Resulted in Deaths of 73 People, Location and Places Affected Mentioned
- Israeli air strikes in Gaza killed 73 people overnight, just ahead of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas set to take effect on Sunday
- The deal includes the exchange of 33 hostages for Palestinian prisoners and aims to facilitate humanitarian aid and the eventual reconstruction of Gaza
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has raised concerns about Hamas reneging on parts of the agreement, causing a potential last-minute crisis in ratifying the deal
Israeli air strikes continued in Gaza overnight, resulting in the deaths of 73 people, according to Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence agency.
The strikes came ahead of a ceasefire agreement and hostage deal with Hamas, set to take effect on Sunday, pending Israeli cabinet approval.
Source: Getty Images
The victims included 12 residents of a residential block in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood of Gaza City, as reported by the health ministry.
Fallen Projectile
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) initially misidentified a "fallen projectile" in southern Israel but later corrected the error.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to ratify the Gaza ceasefire agreement in parliament on Thursday, but his office alleged that Hamas had "reneged" on parts of the agreement, causing a last-minute crisis.
The cabinet will not convene until Hamas accepts all elements of the agreement.
A senior Hamas official confirmed the movement's commitment to the agreement, stating that the head of its delegation, Khalil al-Hayya, had officially informed Qatar and Egypt of its approval.
However, two hardline right-wing ministers, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have threatened to quit the government coalition if the ceasefire proceeds, potentially prompting fresh elections in Israel.
Ceasefire Deal
The ceasefire deal, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, outlines a six-week initial phase, during which 33 hostages, including women, children, and elderly people, will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Israeli forces will withdraw to the east, away from densely populated areas of Gaza, and displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to their homes.
Negotiations for the second phase, which includes the release of remaining hostages and a full Israeli troop withdrawal, will begin on the 16th day.
The third and final stage involves the return of any remaining hostages' bodies and the reconstruction of Gaza, a massive undertaking given the extensive destruction caused by the war.
Gaza Reconstruction
Achim Steiner from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlighted the challenges of Gaza's reconstruction, noting that 40 million tons of "toxic" rubble must be removed before residents can return to their homes.
The conflict began in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 people.
Since then, over 46,788 people have been killed in Gaza, with widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter.
Israel maintains that 94 hostages are still being held by Hamas, with 34 presumed dead. The ceasefire agreement aims to bring a temporary halt to the violence and pave the way for humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts.
Israel, Hamas Reach Ceasefire Deal
Legit.ng reported that on Wednesday, January 15, a ceasefire deal was reached to end 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Sources disclosed to the BBC that the deal follows months of talks, with Qatar as one of the key mediators.
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Source: Legit.ng
