1/18/2024–|Last updated: 1/18/202406:00 AM (Mecca time)
The State of Qatar announced that medicines and aid were brought into the Gaza Strip, yesterday, Wednesday, in implementation of an agreement brokered between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel regarding the entry of medicines and aid into the Strip.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said on the X platform, “During the past hours, medicines and aid have entered the Gaza Strip, in implementation of the agreement that was announced on Tuesday for the benefit of civilians in the Strip, including detainees.”
Al-Ansari pointed out that Qatar, with its regional and international partners, continues mediation efforts at the political and humanitarian levels.
During the past hours, medicines and aid entered the Gaza Strip, in implementation of the agreement announced yesterday for the benefit of civilians in the Strip, including detainees.
Qatar, along with its regional and international partners, continues mediation efforts at the political and humanitarian levels.
– Dr. Majid Mohammed Al Ansari Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) January 17, 2024
Earlier, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the arrival of two Qatari Armed Forces planes to the Egyptian city of Al-Arish, carrying aid from Qatar and France to the Gaza Strip.
The two planes carry 61 tons of aid, including medicines and foodstuffs, bringing the total number of planes carrying aid to Gaza since October 7 to 63 planes, with a total of 1,958 tons of aid.
This aid comes after the success of the mediation of the State of Qatar, in cooperation with France, in reaching an agreement between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel that includes the entry of medicines and a shipment of humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially to the most affected and damaged areas, in exchange for delivering the medicines that the detainees need. Israelis in the Strip.
They have no details
In a related context, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed that senior security officials in Israel were not informed of the details of the agreement under which medicines would be transferred to Israeli prisoners held by the resistance in Gaza.
According to the newspaper, which quoted unnamed diplomatic sources, officials learned of the possibility of transferring humanitarian aid to Gaza without examining it, through a statement by Hamas leader Musa Abu Marzouk.
According to the newspaper, the Mossad chief who led the negotiations did not mention the details of the agreement until after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced it had been reached.
An unprecedented humanitarian crisis
The population of Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, as they constitute 80% of those suffering from famine worldwide, in light of the continued Israeli attacks and siege on the Strip, according to United Nations human rights experts.
Experts point out that the residents of the Gaza Strip today face serious challenges in meeting their basic needs for food and clean water, which increases the risk of famine, and pregnant women face a lack of nutrition and health care, which puts their lives at risk.
Since October 9, 2023, Israel has tightened its blockade of Gaza, depriving 2.3 million Palestinians of water, food, fuel, medicines and medical supplies.
This comes in the context of the Israeli siege that has been ongoing for 17 years before this war, as about half of Gaza’s population suffers from a lack of food security, and more than 80% of them depend on humanitarian aid.
Since last October 7, Israel has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, leaving 24,448 martyrs, 61,504 injured, and causing the displacement of more than 85% (about 1.9 million people) of the Strip’s population.