The announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza has not stopped Israeli bombings in the area. These attacks have left at least 51 dead and 20 injured just hours after a ceasefire agreement was announced between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
The attacks have occurred in central areas such as the Nuseirat camp and against homes in southern Jan Yunis, but one of the hardest-hit areas has once again been the capital City of Gaza in the north, with at least 28 dead.
The announced ceasefire will come into effect this coming Sunday and will allow for the release of Israeli hostages - both alive and deceased - and the access of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave, where more than 46,700 people have died since October 7, 2023.
The ceasefire agreement includes an initial six-week phase in which 33 Israeli hostages - prioritizing children, women, and the elderly - will be released in exchange for the release of over 1,200 Palestinian prisoners. There are still 94 captives within the Strip, 34 of them confirmed dead, but the actual number could be higher. To date, the parties had only reached a truce agreement, the last week of November 2023, when 105 hostages were released in exchange for 240 prisoners, with a preference in both cases for women and children.
South Africa celebrates the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and calls for a "just and lasting peace"
South Africa celebrated on Thursday the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip reached on Wednesday and called for the implementation of a "just and lasting peace" that guarantees the protection of human rights for both Palestinians and Israelis, reports Efe.
"The ceasefire agreement is a crucial first step in ending the serious humanitarian crisis faced by the 2.3 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has plausibly considered genocidal," the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation stated in a release.
Bolivia says ceasefire in Gaza gives hope for recognition of Palestine
The President of Bolivia, Luis Arce, celebrated on Wednesday the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and considered it renews hopes for the recognition of Palestine as a "free State," reports Efe.
"We celebrate the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, a crucial step in the search for peace and the definitive end of the massacre against the brave Palestinian people," wrote the Bolivian leader on the X social network.
He also considered that the agreement "represents renewed hope for the recognition of Palestine as a free, sovereign, and independent State."
Iran's Revolutionary Guards applaud ceasefire in Gaza, a "victory" for Palestinians
Iran's Revolutionary Guards congratulated on Thursday the ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas and described it as a "victory" for the Palestinians, reports Afp.
"The end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire [...] is a clear victory and a great victory for Palestine and a further defeat for the monstrous Zionist regime," stated the ideological militia of the Islamic Republic in a release.
Peru receives ceasefire announcement between Hamas and Israel in Gaza "with great satisfaction"
The Government of Peru stated on Wednesday that it receives "with great satisfaction" the ceasefire announcement and release of hostages between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip, reports Efe.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted in a release that this agreement was achieved "thanks to the mediation efforts of Egypt, the United States, and Qatar, which represents an important step towards the restoration of peace and security in the region."
"Peru trusts that this agreement will allow for the rapid, safe, and unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to alleviate the urgent needs of the affected civilian population," it added.
Australia sees Gaza agreement as a "constructive step" towards regional stability
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed on Thursday the ceasefire agreement in Gaza announced on Wednesday and considered it a "constructive step towards a place of stability in the region," reports Efe.
"It should mark the beginning of a new chapter for Israelis and Palestinians," said Albanese in a statement, where he added that Australia will continue to advocate for a two-state solution and for the need for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip.
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohamed bin Abderrahman, announced on Wednesday in Doha that Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas reached a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.