Israel continues to attack Gaza as Palestinians celebrate ceasefire deal; Trump to visit Jerusalem on Monday

ISRAEL , OCT 9 : Israeli military on Thursday continued attacks on the Gaza Strip, with just hours for the initial phase of a ceasefire deal agreed upon by both Israel and Hamas to come into effect.

Israeli attacks in the vicinity of Hamad City, northwest of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, have killed atleast one Palestinian, reported Al Jazeera. Several others were injured in an Israeli drone attack that targeted Yarmouk School, west of Gaza City.

According to the territory’s Health Ministry, at least 10 Palestinians have been killed and 49 injured in Israeli attacks on several parts of Gaza in the past 24 hours.

The attacks came as US President Donald Trump late on Wednesday announced that Israel and Hamas has agreed upon the first phase of his Gaza peace plan, signalling a long-awaited ceasefire.

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.

“This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace,” he said.

Israel said that the ceasefire would only begin “within 24 hours” after a meeting of the security cabinet scheduled for 1400 GMT on Thursday.

“Within 24 hours after the cabinet meeting takes place, a ceasefire will then begin in Gaza,” government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian told journalists.

Bedrosian also confirmed that Israel had signed the final draft of the agreement in Egypt on Thursday.

Hamas meanwhile, alleged that Israel is trying to “manipulate the dates, the lists, and some of the procedures and steps agreed upon in the ceasefire agreement.”

“We are in contact with the mediators to oblige the occupation to comply with what was agreed upon, and not to allow it to procrastinate. There was talk with friends about a ceasefire at noon this day, but the occupation, for internal considerations, is postponing the announcement to other dates,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

“We continue to say that the occupation must abide by what was agreed upon, and we call on the mediators to work to oblige it,” he said.

The agreement, which follows a 20-point peace plan for Gaza announced last month by Trump, calls for Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas sources said the group would release 20 living Israeli captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first phase of the deal, with the swap to take place within 72 hours of its implementation.

Onc the prisoner exchange is complete, Israel is expected to pull back troops from parts of Gaza as part of the agreement.

However, the Israeli spokesperson said that prominent Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti would not be among the prisoners set to be released by Israel.

Barghouti — a member of the Fatah movement — was among the Palestinian prisoners Hamas wanted to see released, according to Egyptian state-linked media.

Trump to visit Jerusalem

US President Donald Trump is expected in Jerusalem on Sunday, the office of Israel’s president said, reported AFP.

An event scheduled for Sunday at the Israeli president’s residence in Jerusalem was cancelled “in light of the expected release of the hostages, and… the upcoming visit of President of the United States Donald J. Trump to Israel,” the office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement on Thursday.

“The decision was made due to anticipated security closures in Jerusalem surrounding the visit and the historic developments unfolding in the coming days.”

Palestinains express relief, through pain of immense loss

Palestinains in Gaza and accross the globe received the news of ceasefire deal on Wednesday with immense relief. But it was mixed with pain from staggering losses and concern about what comes next.

“Once we heard the news about the truce, we felt happy,” said Ibrahim Shurrab from Khan Younis. “We ask God for the happiness to continue for us and for our Palestinian people and for us to return to our homes despite the pain and suffering,” he added, speaking in Muwasi, an area crowded with tents sheltering Palestinians who were forced to flee their homes.

Nevin Qudeeh said she felt the greatest sense of relief since the genocidal war erupted two years ago. She’ll be even happier, she added, when she can return home.

“We’re staying on the streets.”

In Deir al-Balah, some children greeted the news with whistles, claps and celebratory chants of “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase for “God is great.”

Mahmoud Wadi said he received the news with “massive happiness and an indescribable feeling.”

Others in the Gaza Strip wrestled with mixed emotions.

“I am happy and unhappy,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. “We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends,” relatives and homes that are about a lot more than stones and physical buildings, he said.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has so far so far killed at least 67,183 Palestinians, more than half of them being women and children. At least 460 Palestinians have died due to starvation induced by Israel’s continuous blockade of aid into Gaza. Over 220 journalists and at least 1500 healthcare workers and aid workers have also been killed, mostly in targeted attacks by Israel since October 2023.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

World reacts

World leaders on Thursday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and prisoner-release deal between Israel and Hamas, which could help end the genocidal war in Gaza.

Palestinian Authority

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said he hoped that the deal “would be a prelude to reaching a permanent political solution”, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

UN

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for all hostages to be released “in a dignified manner”.

“The fighting must stop once and for all,” he said, urging the immediate, unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, called the announcement “a huge relief”, and said it was ready to flood Gaza with desperately needed food and medicine.

The agency had enough food to feed all of Gaza for three months, he added.

WHO

Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus said the World Health Organization “stands ready to scale up its work to meet the dire health needs of patients across Gaza, and to support rehabilitation of the destroyed health system.”

“The best medicine is peace,” he said.

Egypt

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hailed the announcement as an “historic moment” that “opens the door of hope for the peoples of the region for a future defined by justice and stability.”

Turkey

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan singled out US counterpart Donald Trump, thanking him for demonstrating “the necessary political will to encourage the Israeli government toward the ceasefire”.

European Union

European leaders in Brussels, as well as in Italy, Germany and France called the announcement an opportunity for lasting peace.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, said the civilian population should now be supported and “the atrocities experienced… never repeated”.

Ireland, which has also strongly criticised Israel’s military response, said the deal, “if grasped by all, can finally end the unconscionable human suffering”.

Bulgaria, which has two citizens among the hostages, called for the plan to be implemented “without delay” to “alleviate the plight of the families of the hostages and… the suffering of the people of Gaza”.

Russia and China

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia hoped the deal will be signed off and implemented, while Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said China hoped for a “permanent and comprehensive” ceasefire as soon as possible.

“China advocates adhering to the principle that ‘Palestinians should govern Palestine’,” he added.

-AFP