Trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza today after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect, the United Nations said.
“The first trucks carrying supplies began arriving just 15 minutes after the ceasefire came into effect this morning,” Jonathan Whittall, the interim head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Palestinian territories, said in a post on X, France24 reports.
“In recent days, humanitarian partners have been making great efforts to load aid packages and prepare for distribution throughout Gaza,” he wrote.
The ceasefire came into effect three hours late, after Israel confirmed that it had received the names of three hostages who would be released today. The three prisoners, Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Stenbrecher, will be released in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women and young people.
The first phase of the agreement calls for an initial six-week ceasefire, the gradual release of 33 prisoners held by Hamas, and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Among the hostages to be freed are women, children, the elderly, the sick, and the wounded.
The fate of the remaining 98 Israeli hostages has yet to be decided. The Israeli Justice Ministry on Friday released a list of the first 95 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women, who will also be freed.
Photo: archive
