Web desk: Despite reports of imminent withdrawal linked to a potential ceasefire, Israeli forces remain in Gaza’s urban centres and attacked several locations.
Shosh Bedrosian, Israeli government spokesperson, has said that the ceasefire in Gaza will be within 24 hours after the Israeli cabinet meeting.
During a press conference, Bedrosian announced that Israel had signed the final draft of the agreement earlier in the day in Egypt.
She said that under the terms of the deal, a 24-hour period would precede a 72-hour phase dedicated to the exchange of captives and prisoners.
Bedrosian further clarified that senior Palestinian political figure Marwan Barghouti would not be included in the upcoming release.
Israeli attacks continue
The Israeli military has confirmed that its forces will transition from offensive operations to a withdrawal only once the ceasefire is officially in effect.
While Palestinians await the cessation of fighting and Israeli airstrikes for crucial relief, the complete Israeli pullout from Gaza is contingent on the Israeli government’s approval of the ceasefire and its subsequent implementation.
Preparations for this withdrawal are underway, but the forces have not yet begun to move out.
For the people of Palestine, the ceasefire will give a real chance at relief after the long-term atrocities of the Israeli forces. People are still waiting for a full Israeli withdrawal from the region.
For now, Israeli forces are still stationed in the urban centres. They have not yet been able to withdraw, given the progress of the ceasefire deal, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Saudi Arabia welcomes the ceasefire deal
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the Gaza ceasefire, expressing hope that it would result in “a full Israeli withdrawal” and immediate steps to ease humanitarian suffering.
They added that the deal should restore security and stability and initiate practical efforts toward a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.
France to host Arab, European foreign ministers
A high-level meeting is convening in Paris today at 15:00 GMT, gathering top diplomats from five key Arab states (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE), five European nations (France, Italy, Germany, Spain, UK), plus Turkiye and the EU.
The talks aim to address the “day after” in Gaza, focusing on the transitional process, political solutions, and reconstruction.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated the agreement “must mark the end of the war and the beginning of a political solution based on the two-state solution.”
The French Foreign Ministry described the goal as “work on the implementation of the peace plan and the framework for the ‘day after’.”
Separately, Macron had previously recognised a Palestinian state at the UN, following similar announcements by Canada, Portugal, and the UK.
