The Gaza Strip experienced a day of relative calm on June 16, after the announcement by the Israeli army of a pause in its operations along a road in the south of the Palestinian territory to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, while the United Nations (UN) fears widespread famine.
On the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, the territory bombarded by the Israeli army for more than eight months experienced an “almost calm day” report in previous days,” said Civil Defense spokesperson Mohamed Basal. He reported “a few strikes” on several neighborhoods in Gaza City, in the north, and artillery fire in Rafah, in the south, where the army is carrying out a ground offensive against the Islamist movement Hamas.
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In Gaza City, dozens of worshipers prayed on the first day of Eid al-Adha in front of the al-Omari mosque, damaged by bombing. “Eid is completely different” this year, “we have lost a lot of people, there is a lot of destruction,” Mohammad al-Katri told Oum, in the neighboring Jabalia refugee camp.
Eight Israeli soldiers killed in bomb blast
A correspondent indicated that calm remained in the evening in most sectors, after the expiration of the break which will be observed, according to the army, “from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (5 a.m. to 4 p.m. GMT) all days and until new order”, on a road section of around ten kilometers. The army, however, stressed that there was “clearly no cessation of hostilities in southern Gaza” and that “operations in Rafah continued.”
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This “tactical” and “local” pause should allow an “increase in the volume of humanitarian aid entering Gaza”, announced the army, the day after the death of 11 soldiers in the territory, including 8 in the explosion of ‘a bomb. This assessment is one of the most heavy for the Israeli army in a single day since the start of the war, triggered by the attack of October 7.
“Our hearts are broken by these terrible losses,” responded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But “we must stick to the objectives of the war: to destroy Hamas’s capabilities, to recover all our hostages, to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. »
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“The person who made the decision to take a break while our soldiers falling in combat is evil and stupid,” denounced far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Single crossing point for humanitarian aid
The UN “welcomed” this measure, but asked that it “lead to other concrete measures” to facilitate deliveries of humanitarian aid. The spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Jens Laerke, highlighted the extremely difficult conditions in which the population of the Gaza Strip, besieged by Israel, lives, where born only very insufficient help comes in.
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The break concerns a road that extends north from the Israeli crossing point of Kerem Shalom at the southern end of the Gaza Strip. This road section from the border crossing joins the Salaheddine road, which crosses the Gaza Strip from south to north, and extends to the European hospital in Rafah, about 10 kilometers from Kerem Shalom, according to a map published by the army.
Kerem Shalom is became the only crossing point for humanitarian aid in the south of the Gaza Strip since the army launched a ground offensive on May 7 on the town of Rafah, bordering Egypt, and took over control of the border post.
A ceasefire still under negotiation
Despite international mediation efforts, hopes for a ceasefire continue to come up against contradictory demands from Israel and Hamas. US President Joe Biden announced a plan on May 31 Who provides, in a first phase, a six-week ceasefire accompanied by an Israeli withdrawal from densely populated areas of Gaza, the release of certain hostages and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
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Israel has not officially made its position known, but Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his determination to continue the war until the elimination of Hamas, in power in Gaza since 2007. The Islamist organization for its part demanded “amendments » to the plan, according to a source close to discussions, including a timetable for a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Of 251 people kidnapped on October 7, 116 are still held hostage in Gaza, of whom 41 are dead, according to the army. The Israeli offensive launched in retaliation on the Gaza Strip which has so far left 37,337 dead, mostly civilians, according to data from the Ministry of Health of the Gaza government, led by THE Hamas.
(with AFP)
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