War in the Middle East

New ceasefire agreement is said to be fixed

Demonstration for the release of Hamas hostages in Jerusalem(Bild: AP)

According to a high-ranking US representative, the terrorist organization Hamas and Israel's government have agreed on a six-week ceasefire. "The deal is basically already there. But I don't want to raise expectations one way or the other," he said.

Israel's government agrees to the plan. However, the agreement depends on whether the radical Islamic Hamas agrees to release Israeli hostages. Hamas has not yet issued a statement. Israel's army announced that it would temporarily suspend military activities for humanitarian purposes.

This would apply from Saturday to Thursday inclusive, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, in various districts of the cities of Rafah and Deir al-Balah. During this time, aid deliveries could be facilitated and civilians could safely reach the distribution stations for the goods, the military announced.

Internally displaced persons in Rafah(Bild: AP )

Aid deliveries to children(Bild: AP)

Israeli attack on Rafah(Bild: AFP)

Bureaucratic obstacles
Aid organizations describe the situation of 2.3 million Palestinians as catastrophic. 80 percent of them have become internally displaced persons within the coastal area. Housing and communal infrastructure have been largely destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people are living in tents or on the streets. They lack food, clean water, medicine, sanitation and health facilities.

Aid organizations say that goods are often unable to reach the people due to bureaucratic obstacles. Israeli authorities, however, who control the border crossings to Gaza with Egypt, deny that the convoys are being held up unnecessarily.

The government of the Gulf emirate of Qatar, which is mediating together with the USA and Egypt, had set itself the goal of achieving a ceasefire before the start of Ramadan on March 10.