Five Thai citizens and three Israelis detainees captive by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza are expected to be released on Thursday under the cease-fire agreement in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office said that Arbel Yehud, Agam Berger and Gadi Moses would be released Thursday with five Thai nationals, whose names have not been published.
The cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas which entered into force on January 19 depends on the exchange of Israeli captives held by Palestinian groups in Gaza for the Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.
Hamas has so far released seven captives, with 290 Palestinian prisoners released in exchange.
Light-Amer Homecoming
In northern Gaza, thousands of displaced Palestinians continued to return home on Wednesday. More than 500,000 Palestinians have made the trip north of Gaza in the last 72 hours after the soldiers of Israel opened up crossing points under the cease-fire agreement, said the office Gaza government media.
“I am happy to be back home,” said the AFP news agency in Saif Al-Din Qazaat, who returned to Northern Gaza but had to sleep in a tent next to the ruins of his house.
Mona Abu Aathra managed to travel from Central Gaza to Gaza City, although she has not yet evaluated the full extent of the war on her house.
“We returned to Gaza City without anything, and there is no drinking water. Most streets are still blocked by the rubble of destroyed houses, “said the 20 -year -old player.
Abu Aathra expressed his relief to be found with his family.
“It is the first night that we are again together, me, my mother and my father. Last night, we gathered with my three brothers who were here in Gaza City. »»
Reporting Gaza City, Hani Mahmoud, Tel Aviv Tribune, said many families have returned to seriously damaged houses.
“The joy of returning to the north of Gaza has faded in the face of massive sorrow and disappointment.”
“There is no line of life (in the north of Gaza). Water and food are only available in very limited quantities, not enough (to provide for the needs of) large number of people who return to their destroyed homes, “he added.
Help the accusations
Since the ceasefire has entered into force, aid trucks were also authorized by Israel in Gaza ravaged by the war.
But two senior Hamas officials accused Israel of slowing down the aid deliveries, one citing articles on the resumption of Gaza such as fuel, tents, heavy machines and other equipment.
“According to the agreement, these documents were to enter the first week of the ceasefire,” said an official.
An Israeli spokesman for the coordinator of government activities in the territories, the Ministry of Defense body who oversees civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, said that the accusations of Hamas are “false news”.
Between Sunday and Wednesday, “3,000 trucks entered Gaza,” said the spokesperson. “The agreement indicates that it should be 4,200 in seven days.”
A Turkish ship arrived at the Egyptian port El Arish according to the AFP news agency, containing 871 tonnes of humanitarian aid, 300 generators of electricity, 20 portable toilets, 10,460 tents and 14,350 covers.
While the supplies are added to hundreds of aid trucks that entered Gaza during the ceasefire, the workers of the helping adventures say that it is still far from meeting the needs of the population torn apart by the war.
Meanwhile, Israel is expected to implement on Thursday prohibiting the operations of the United Nations Aid Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in Israel. UNRWA offices and staff in Israel play a major role in providing health care and education for Palestinians, including those who live in Gaza.
Amman’s reports, Jordan, Laura Khan of Tel Aviv Tribune said that the ban could have a “devastating” impact on agency operations in Gaza.
“According to analysts, the most devastating consequences will be in Gaza. They already have more than a million tonnes of aid waiting outside Gaza to be sent to the Gaza Strip, “she said.
Within Gaza, UNRWA offers free primary and secondary education at 294,086 children in Gaza, or half of all students in the enclave.
The United Nations agency also offers free primary health services and maternal and child health services to 1.2 million people in Gaza – more than half of the population and provides food at 1.13 million people in the enclave.
