Concerns that the ceasefire between the Palestinian armed group Hamas and Israel might be prematurely broken appear to have been temporarily resolved.
According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 13th (local time), Hamas has agreed to proceed with the release of three Israeli hostages, which had been indefinitely postponed, as originally planned.
This decision came after the ceasefire mediators guaranteed that relief supplies such as mobile homes and medical equipment would be allowed into the Gaza Strip on the same day, the media outlet reported.
In fact, about 800 trucks carrying relief supplies reportedly crossed the Rafah border crossing, the passage connecting Egypt and the Gaza Strip, on that day alone. Egyptian officials, who requested anonymity, said that through mediation efforts, they "succeeded in removing the obstacles that threatened the implementation of the ceasefire agreement."
However, WSJ reported that neither a Hamas spokesperson nor the Israeli government has yet issued an official statement regarding these reports.
On the 19th of last month, Israel and Hamas entered a phased ceasefire to halt hostilities for six weeks (42 days), but since then, both sides have accused each other of violating the agreement, leading to ongoing conflict. Tensions escalated on the 10th when Hamas announced it would indefinitely postpone the release of Israeli hostages, raising fears that the ceasefire could collapse.
Hamas claimed that the Israeli military delayed the return of residents in northern Gaza and fired on civilians, while also blocking the delivery of relief supplies such as fuel and tents. In response, Israel declared that if the hostages were not released by noon on the 15th, the ceasefire would end, and it reinforced its troops around the Gaza Strip.
Fortunately, international mediation efforts proved effective, preventing the collapse of the ceasefire. However, WSJ noted that tensions remained high in the Gaza area on the evening of the 14th, with Hamas firing rockets and Israel striking launch sites.
According to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, Hamas is to release 33 hostages, and Israel must free 1,904 Palestinian prisoners held in its prisons.
Hamas has previously released 21 hostages, including 16 Israelis and 5 Thais, over five occasions. During this process, it was confirmed that the hostages were subjected to harsh treatment, such as being chained and trapped in tunnels, suffering from starvation. In response, the mediators are making efforts to ensure the remaining hostages are released promptly, WSJ reported.
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