Ahead of the pause in the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas, the liberation movement has warned that the situation in Gaza is beyond desperate.
The two agreed to a four day break from fighting in talks conducted through Qatar and was scheduled to kick in on Friday.
On Thursday Hamas, in its daily updates painted a grim picture of what remains of the Gaza Strip on the 48th day of indiscriminate bombardment by Israel.
“The healthcare crisis in Gaza has reached a critical juncture, as incessant attacks on medical facilities and personnel intensify an already dire humanitarian predicament”, said Hamas in a statement on Thursday also warning that over two thousand wounded people who were forced out of the Al Shifha by Israeli soldiers on Wednesday were now destitute.
Qatar’s foreign affairs spokesperson Dr Majed al Ansari confirmed that the first exchange expected to take place on Friday morning would see aid, including much needed fuel and medicine, allowed into Gaza.
al Ansari said fourteen Israeli citizens will be released later in the day.
“The beginning of the pause will be 7am on Friday and it will last of course as agreed for four days and the first batch of civilians will be released around 4pm of the same day. They will be thirteen in number, all of them women and children. Those hostages who are from the same families will be put together within the same batch. Obviously everyday we will include a number of civilians to total fifty within the four days,” he said during a press briefing in Doha on Thursday.
The Israeli government has confirmed receipt of the list of fourteen civilians to be set free by Hamas.
While calls for a ceasefire are mounting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already indicated an unwillingness to stop the bombing or negotiate with the resistance movement.