A ceasefire in southern Gaza has reportedly been brokered following a series of Israeli airstrikes in the region. According to Reuters, the ceasefire was facilitated with the involvement of the United States, Israel, and Egypt and commenced at 6 am GMT (11:00 am local time in Pakistan).
Simultaneously, the Rafah border crossing, situated in the southern part of Gaza, was reopened. However, details and discrepancies surrounding the ceasefire have emerged.
OSINTdefender, an open-source intelligence monitor, disclosed on the social media platform X that the ceasefire would apply exclusively to the southern Gaza Strip and would be limited to a duration of five hours. They also noted the absence of discussions or agreements involving Hamas, the Palestinian militant organization.
In contrast, the Israeli military claimed to have no knowledge of a ceasefire, while Hamas, speaking to the Arabic language network Asharq News, stated they had no information about a humanitarian truce.
The Rafah crossing, which connects Gaza to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, is of critical importance, as it is the only exit from Gaza not controlled by Israel, making it the sole feasible route out of the enclave due to the blockade of other routes.
The crossing has been closely regulated by Egypt, a result of strained relations between Egypt and Hamas.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the reopening of the Rafah crossing and assured the establishment of a mechanism to provide necessary assistance to those in need.
However, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied the existence of a ceasefire and did not mention any humanitarian aid arrangements for the Gaza Strip in exchange for allowing foreigners to leave when talking to Newsweek.
The Gaza government’s information office stated it had not received any communication or confirmation from the Egyptian side regarding the reopening of the Rafah crossing, as reported by the Al Araby television channel.
Amid the ongoing hostilities, Palestinians in Gaza reported that the recent Israeli airstrikes, which occurred during the overnight bombardment on Sunday, were among the most intense since they began after a Hamas attack on October 7. This attack reportedly claimed the lives of over 1,300 Israeli citizens, according to the Associated Press.
Gaza City, in particular, experienced a heavy onslaught, with airstrikes affecting areas near two major hospitals in the city. Gaza authorities reported the death toll rising to 2,670, as noted by Reuters.
In response to the ongoing conflict, the National Emergency Management Authority of Israel’s Ministry of Defence and the Israel Defence Forces jointly announced a plan for the evacuation of residents in northern Israel. The evacuation plan is designed to cover individuals living within a radius of up to 2 kilometers from the Lebanese border.
