Israel Offers 1 Week Ceasefire To Hamas In Exchange For Hostages

Israel has reportedly suggested to Hamas a temporary pause in the fighting in Gaza for one week, in exchange for the release of 40 hostages, as per CNN's report.

The individuals being held captive, such as women, the elderly, and those requiring immediate assistance, would be included in the agreement offered to Hamas by Qatari mediators, as per CNN's report referencing Axios.

Michael Herzog, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, has stated that Israel is prepared to temporarily halt the fighting in order to facilitate the release of hostages. However, he has not confirmed the completion of a finalized agreement.

"I think it's premature to tell whether or not we have a deal because, until now, Hamas refused to do another deal," Herzog told CNN.

"They were hoping for a permanent ceasefire, but I hope that under the pressure of what we're doing on the ground, plus the pressure from the Qataris, they will agree to do a deal, but it's premature at this phase," he said.

Hamas is adamant about implementing a ceasefire prior to freeing additional hostages. The current diplomatic endeavors are taking place as the humanitarian crisis in the blockaded area continues to deteriorate.

Based on information from the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, Israeli military operations in Gaza since October 7 have led to almost 20,000 fatalities and more than 52,000 people being wounded.

At the same time, airstrikes have caused extensive damage in the northern part of Gaza, resulting in the displacement of nearly 1.9 million individuals, which accounts for over 80 per cent of the population in that area, as per a report by CNN citing the United Nations.

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder has expressed serious worry about the safety of children and families in Gaza's hospitals, highlighting that they are at risk due to the recent shelling.

"Over the past 48 hours, the largest remaining fully functioning hospital was shelled twice. That hospital--Al Nasser in Khan Younis--not only shelters large numbers of children who had already been badly injured in attacks on their homes, but hundreds of women and children seeking safety," Elder said in Geneva on Tuesday after a recent visit to Gaza.

UNICEF's Elder pointed out the difficult situation that children and families are dealing with, emphasizing that hospitals, shelters, and designated 'safe' areas are not ensuring sufficient safety.

"And so where do children and their families go? They are not safe in hospitals. They are not safe in shelters. And they are certainly not safe in the so-called 'safe' zones," CNN quoted Elder as saying.

He expressed worries about the worsening situation in these designated safe areas, cautioning that they are turning into hotspots for illness because of inadequate access to water, sanitation, and housing. Elder warned that if this continues, the number of children dying from disease could exceed those killed by attacks.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continue to assert that they do not intentionally target hospitals, stating that they concentrate on what they refer to as Hamas strongholds. Meanwhile, Hamas refutes allegations of using Gaza hospitals for its activities, according to CNN.

Also Read: Gaza: Over 5,000 Children Killed Since Israel's Offensive