Ceasefire: Relative calm returns to Gaza, says report
text_fields
Gaza City: The freshly announced ceasefire deal in Gaza, aiming at ending Israel’s war there, has brought a relative calm in the enclave for the first time in months, Al Jazeera reported.
Gazans took to the streets to celebrate the peace, and many hoped it was a real stoppage of the conflict.
A local from the war-ravaged territory spoke to Al Jazeera with a positive mind that he is thanking god for the ceasefire and end of bloodshed and killing. He said that all of Gaza is happy.
Another local resident said that the current situation in Gaza is historic and long-awaited by Palestinian citizens.
Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza, Hani Mahmoud, reported that there has been a collective sigh of relief among the enclave’s suffering population. Now all are waiting for critical aid, food and medical supplies.
According to the World Health Organisation’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, his agency is ready to scale up its work to meet the serious health needs of patients across Gaza. He added that the best medicine is peace.
On Wednesday night, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal. Trump made the announcement on social media, calling it a breakthrough in efforts to end the conflict. Qatar, one of the key mediators, confirmed an agreement on “all the provisions and implementation mechanisms” of the first phase.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s desire to secure a Nobel Peace Prize is reported to have driven his push for a hastily arranged ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, negotiated with the connivance of Arab leaders and his regional allies. Also, there are complications surrounding the survival of the agreement, as Hamas demanded guarantees that Israel would comply with the terms, and right-wing Israeli leaders threatened to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government once the agreement is signed.