Hamas-Israel war: “humanitarian pauses” to be observed in the Gaza Strip

As Israel continues its advance in Gaza, the Jewish state has accepted to take "humanitarian breaks" of four hours a day in northern Gaza, announced a White House spokesperson, Thursday, November 9.

In the 34th game of the war between Hamas, the Israeli army claims to have made progress. in Gaza and took control of the north of the Gaza Strip on the night of November 8 to 9. Thursday, November 9, a White House spokesperson assured: that Israel would begin to make daily four-hour humanitarian breaks "in certain areas of the northern Gaza Strip, which will be announced at three o'clock at the end of the day. in advance,” indicates Franceinfo. However, the day before, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, had ruled out a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave. At the end of October, the Assembly embarrassed The Council of the United Nations had adopted a resolution calling for an “immediate, lasting and sustained humanitarian truce” in the Gaza Strip.

Thursday, November 9, at on the occasion of the humanitarian conference on Gaza organized in Paris, Emmanuel Macron called for the first time at a ceasefire deeming necessary "a very rapid humanitarian pause". After the start of the war, France announced a ceasefire. humanitarian aid of 20 million euros for civilians in the Gaza Strip, this will be increased to 100 million euros in 2023, indicated the president of the Republic. According to him, Israel has "the right to defend itself and the duty to protect its own", but also has"an eminent responsibility […] to respect the law and protect civilians, reports franceinfo.

In total, aid commitments made during the humanitarian conference on Gaza exceed one billion euros. Part of this aid will meet the needs of the UN, estimated at $1.2 billion up to $1.2 billion end of 2023, to help the population of Gaza and the West Bank.

No ceasefire is envisaged

If the humanitarian pauses announced by the White House are progress, Joe Biden clarified, Thursday, November 8, that there was "no possibility" ceasefire Gaza. Talks have been held between Qatar, the United States and Israel for a “possible humanitarian truce that would see the release of the hostages and more aid flowing in.” Gaza. Talks have progressed well; towards an agreement”, affirmed a manager, reports BFM TV. During the day, a source close to Hamas indicated: that negotiations were underway to release 12 hostages, including 6 Americans, in exchange for a three-day humanitarian truce.

However, when asked On Tuesday, November 7, Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that a ceasefire between the two parties would be “a surrender, a victory for Hamas.” According to him, a ceasefire would hamper "the war effort" as well as "the efforts to get the hostages out", indicates franceinfo. According to an estimate from the Times of Israelël, around 180 hostages are said to be held by Hamas, 40 by Palestinian Islamic Jihad and around twenty by several local organizations. Thursday, November 9, Islamic Jihad broadcast a video of two hostages, a woman in her seventies and a teenager, whom he says he is holding in the Gaza Strip, "We are ready to take action. “Release them for humanitarian reasons when the security conditions on the ground are met,” said the president. the spokesperson for the military branch of Islamic Jihad, indicates BFM TV.

The Gaza Strip occupied by Israel?

Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement on responsibility security concerns of the Gaza Strip raised questions. Should we see this as a form of tacit annexation? Colonization of Palestinian territory as has already happened. Summer seen in certain towns in the West Bank? The idea is far from satisfying the community. international organization which denounces the violence carried out by certain Israeli settlers in occupied Palestinian territory. Even the United States, allies of Israel, have declared on November 7 not supporting a "reoccupation of Gaza" by the Hebrew state. "Israel doesn't support it either," Washington.

The Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, wanted to reassure and declared: that "Israel will not reoccupy the Gaza Strip" during an interview on the American channel MSNBC. According to him, after the war “Hamas will no longer be in power and after the dismantling of its infrastructure, Israel will have to have a responsibility general safety guide for an indefinite period. A resumption of the Prime Minister's speech therefore and a perspective which does not specify the nature of the authority. which will be put in place and which puts the powers in the hands of Israel. However, the minister judged that that "if it is a Palestinian force that governs Gaza for the well-being of its inhabitants and without wanting to destroy Israel, then we can discuss".

In pictures

&Evacuation of civilians to the south of the Gaza Strip

Every day since Sunday, November 5, the Israeli army has ordered civilians in northern Gaza to head south through secure crossings for a few hours. pushed "70% of the population of the Gaza Strip" à according to the UN, an exodus which"is accompanied by constant fear and inhumane living conditions for nearly 1.5 million people" of the 2.2 million living in the Palestinian territory.

But even in the south of the Gaza Strip the humanitarian situation is catastrophic with a lack of water, food, medicine and difficult access to care despite the emergency. sending international humanitarian aid. UN agencies continue to call for action. an "urgent" ceasefire and G7 foreign ministers called for à “humanitarian breaks and corridors”, but Israel remains deaf to this. these voices and is just considering "small tactical pauses", that is to say the interruption of the bombings "an hour here, an hour there" to "allow the entry of goods, humanitarian goods, or to let our hostages, individual hostages, leave.

The record of the war

The toll of the war taking place across the country Gaza is difficult to get to To establish this, the figures provided by Hamas cannot be independently verified and therefore distinguished from propaganda. According to the latest assessment from the Ministry of Health; Hamas press release Monday, November 6, 10,328 people were visited. killed in the Gaza Strip, including more than 4,200 children, since the start of the conflict on October 7. The Palestinian movement also reported more than 23,500 injured. Questioned on this assessment, the spokesperson for the Pentagon admitted that, concerning civilian victims at agrave; Gaza, "you have to count in the thousands". On the Gaza side" Israeli, the record is still evaluated à 1,400 dead. Daniel Hagari, IDF spokesperson, said: that 348 soldiers had died since the attack on October 7.

Among the victims, we must also count the hostages held by Hamas and whose number would be between 200 and 250. There are 239 according to the Israeli army. After conditioning the release of the hostages at Following the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, Hamas assured on October 31 that it intended to release foreign hostages in the coming days, but no release took place. place since.

40 French people died in Israel

40 French people were killed in Israel during Hamas attacks on October 7, according to the report communicated by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne Monday November 6. It also has eight missing nationals. "It is now confirmed “that some of them are hostages of Hamas,” Hamas said. the government on November 6.

France ensures that it will do everything possible to save the hostages and repatriate nationals who wish to do so. The Quai d'Orsay also announces that "more than 100 people" left Gaza. "Two groups of French nationals, agents and rights holders were able to leave the Gaza Strip yesterday and today through the Rafah crossing point. They are safe and secure. in Egypt, where they were taken care of by the French embassy and our consulate general in Cairo,” the ministry announced on November 7.

THE Context

The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023 with a surprise and massive strike launched by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on the Jewish state. Many fighters carried out incursions near the Gaza Strip border while airstrikes were carried out. launched. These attacks terrorist character gave place at scenes of horror and massacres in several Jewish kibbutzim in Israel.

Israel ordered responded in the hours following the attack before imposing the siege of Gaza on Monday, October 9. The same day, the Israeli army announced that it would having regained control of the border with the Gaza Strip. Since then she has launched a ground attack on Palestinian territory.