Qatar and France have brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas, resulting in the distribution of a shipment of medical supplies and aid to Israeli captives and Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip. This marks the first agreement between the two parties since the end of a short-lived truce on December 1.
The shipment arrived on Wednesday, confirmed by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed al-Ansari. The aid is set to be distributed by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The process was complicated as Hamas believed the aid would not be inspected upon entry into Gaza, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied such an agreement, causing political turmoil within his government.
Under the agreement, 45 captives held by Hamas will receive prescription medications, while supplies for Palestinian civilians will be distributed to parts of the besieged enclave that have been heavily bombarded by Israeli forces, resulting in a population that is facing crisis levels of hunger and disease.
The PRCS reported that 146 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza from the Israeli-controlled Karem Abu Salem crossing, while an additional 48 trucks entered through Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt, carrying food, water, and medical supplies. A senior Hamas official stated that for every box of aid provided for the captives, 1,000 boxes of medicine would be sent for Palestinians.
France’s ambassador to Israel expressed hopes that this agreement would be the first step in releasing the remaining Israeli captives. However, the aid remains insufficient for the needs of the displaced Palestinians in Gaza.