By Chris Menahan – Information Liberation
Hamas announced Thursday morning that the ceasefire deal is back on track due to Israel reversing course and allowing the delivery of large sums of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
“Thousands of tents and caravans have entered Gaza,” local Palestinian journalist Abubaker Abed reported on Wednesday. “The situation is becoming more stable, and aid has been flowing in consistently over the past hours.”
“The same is true in terms of medical aid as local reports indicate that at least five medical aid trucks have gotten into Gaza during the last 24 hours,” he added. “The ceasefire will likely hold as Hamas gears up to release the three Israeli prisoners on Saturday in exchange for dozens of Palestinian hostages. Israel is beginning to allow a surge of aid instead of a trickle.”
This morning, Hamas announced the deal was back on track.
From Al Jazeera, “Hamas confirms it will release captives as planned, ceasefire deal back on track”:
The group says its delegation has held talks with the Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo, focusing on the terms of the ceasefire deal “especially with regard to securing housing for our people and urgently bringing in prefabricated houses ‘caravans’, tents, heavy equipment, medical supplies, fuel, and the continued flow of relief and everything stipulated in the agreement”.
“The discussions were characterised by a positive spirit, and the mediating brothers in Egypt and Qatar confirmed that they would follow up on all of this to remove obstacles and close gaps,” the statement published on Telegram said.
“Accordingly, Hamas confirms its continued position to implement the agreement in accordance with what was signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the specified timetable.”
As I reported yesterday, Israeli officials embarrassed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by confirming to the New York Times that Hamas’s claim that Israel violated the ceasefire was “accurate.”