Shoppers in Khan Younis marketplace as Israel's cabinet prepares to approve a ceasefire deal with Hamas. The agreement includes a six-week truce, Israeli troop withdrawal, prisoner exchanges, and increased aid to Gaza, where millions face a humanitarian crisis.
Shoppers were seen in a marketplace in Khan Younis, Gaza, as Israel's cabinet is set to approve a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The deal, reached on Wednesday following mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, outlines a six-week initial ceasefire and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
The agreement also includes the release of Israeli captives in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel. It also paves the way for a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza, where the majority of the population has been displaced and is enduring hunger, illness, and cold.
If successful, the ceasefire would halt the fighting that has devastated much of Gaza. According to Gaza authorities, more than 46,000 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, and the vast majority of the enclave’s pre-war population of 2.3 million has been displaced. The accord marks a crucial step towards addressing the severe humanitarian crisis in the region.
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