what to remember from Tuesday, November 28

On the fifth day of a continuing truce, the IDF announced early Tuesday evening that a new group of twelve hostages had been released and handed over to the Red Cross.

The war between Israel and Hamas entered its 53rd day on Tuesday, November 28. Initially, the truce concluded between the two parties should have ended on Tuesday evening. It was finally extended by two days on Monday, under the aegis of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, offering additional respite to the inhabitants of the devastated Gaza Strip. And also allowing the release of new hostages and new prisoners on Tuesday evening. Here’s what to remember from the day.

Twelve hostages released, including ten Israelis

The Israeli army announced in a press release published early in the evening on Telegram that twelve hostages, including ten Israelis and two Thais, had arrived on Israeli territory, after having been handed over a little earlier to the Red Cross by Hamas in Rafah. In exchange, 30 Palestinian prisoners, women and young people under the age of 19, were released, announced the Israeli prison authority. So far, the Israeli hostages released are only women and children. The Palestinian detainees are women and young people under the age of 19. In addition, 21 foreign hostages, mostly Thais living in Israel, were released outside the framework of this agreement.

Two Palestinians killed in West Bank

Two Palestinian teenagers were killed during clashes with the Israeli army in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel for 56 years, the Hamas-led Palestinian Health Ministry announced. The first, aged 14, was killed in Toubas, in the north of the West Bank, the second, aged 17, near Ramallah, where the Palestinian Authority is headquartered.

Witnesses told AFP that clashes had broken out in Toubas. Youths threw stones at Israeli army vehicles and soldiers responded by opening fire. For its part, the Israeli army assured that it had come “arrest two wanted suspects”. “Armed men fired at security forces who responded with live ammunition”she added.

“Catastrophic” humanitarian situation in Gaza

As part of the truce agreement, several hundred trucks loaded with aid have been able to enter the Gaza Strip since Friday, via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. Some of them reached the north, the part of the territory most devastated by the war. But “the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic”declared the UN envoy for the Middle East, Tor Wennesland.

He would require the arrival of “200 trucks [d’aide] per day for at least two months”, also affirmed the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). More than half of the enclave’s housing has been damaged or destroyed by the war, according to the UN, and 1.7 million of the 2.4 million residents have been displaced.

Discussions to extend the truce

Behind the scenes, mediators are working to extend the truce beyond Thursday. Furthermore, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected again in Israel and the West Bank this week. The heads of the American and Israeli intelligence services visited Doha to try to “consolidating progress on the extended humanitarian pause agreement”. And also discuss with the Prime Minister of Qatar the “next phase” of a potential agreement between Hamas and Israel, according to an informed source cited by AFP.