In Gaza on Friday, the initial group of hostages was liberated, marking a day of heightened tensions. Despite relief, concerns about the future lingered, following weeks of unyielding violence in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Hamas released a total of 24 hostages as part of a deal facilitating a temporary cessation of hostilities. The liberated individuals comprised 13 Israelis, 10 Thais, and a Philippine national. This agreement also encompasses the release of Palestinians detained by Israel.

Across Israel, there were jubilant celebrations, while Gaza experienced a day of relative calm after enduring significant casualties. Despite the optimism for a more enduring ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed his commitment to continue Israel’s campaign to dismantle Hamas.

The 13 Israelis, including very young children, who were held hostage by Hamas have safely returned to Israel. Recognition from friends and neighbors from their kibbutz communities marked their arrival. The release occurred on the first day of a four-day ceasefire, bringing relief to families in Israel and the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured intensive Israeli bombardment.

In addition to the Israeli hostages, 39 Palestinian prisoners, including 24 women and 15 teenagers, were released by Israel. Some of the released Palestinians had not seen their families for many years.

The four-day ceasefire, the first break in seven weeks of conflict in Gaza, offers hope for a more lasting pause in the violence. As part of the agreement, Hamas is set to release at least 50 of the approximately 240 hostages it has held since launching attacks in October. In return, Israel will release at least 150 Palestinian prisoners and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the return of the hostages but emphasized the commitment to securing the release of all hostages as one of the war’s aims.

The Israeli offensive on Gaza has resulted in a significant death toll, with more than 14,000 people, including thousands of children, according to Palestinian officials. The ceasefire, while initially showing signs of fragility, has brought relative calm to much of Gaza.

In a surprising development, the Thai prime minister announced the release of Thai hostages, believed to be farm workers employed in communities around Gaza. The hostages were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“The deep pain experienced by family members separated from their loved ones is indescribable. Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East, expressed relief at the reunification of some hostages after prolonged agony. The Israeli military conducted an initial medical assessment on the hostages within Israeli territory. Subsequently, they were flown to medical facilities across Israel for reunification with their families. Families and supporters in Tel Aviv celebrated the return.

The families’ vocal campaign played a significant role in pressuring Prime Minister Netanyahu to agree to a deal with Hamas, an organization he has vowed to ‘crush.’ Ziv Agmon, a legal adviser to Netanyahu’s office, expressed hope for a positive outcome and assured that Israel would follow the agreement.

Hamas’s main political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, affirmed the group’s commitment to the truce and hostage swap, contingent on Israel’s commitment. In the occupied West Bank, families eagerly awaited news of the prisoners to be released. Israeli security forces used tear gas on crowds outside Ofer Prison, where the freed prisoners were expected.

Originally scheduled for Thursday afternoon, the exchange was delayed due to last-minute logistical issues resolved during 24 hours of frantic diplomacy. The agreement includes restrictions on Israeli military flights over Gaza, and Israel has committed not to arrest anyone in Gaza during the truce, according to Hamas. If the initial exchanges go well, there may be further releases on both sides, and some sources suggest the ceasefire could last up to 10 days.”

Aid trucks from Egypt began entering the Gaza Strip approximately 90 minutes after the ceasefire commenced at 5 am local time. However, humanitarian officials noted that the aid provided was only a fraction of what was needed, and concerns were raised about the almost total blockade of Gaza by Israel leading to severe shortages of essentials and “catastrophic” conditions.

Medical facilities in Gaza have been extensively damaged, and doctors are struggling to treat a high number of seriously injured casualties with inadequate supplies. The ceasefire, mediated by Qatar, the US, and Egypt, was reached after lengthy and complex talks, coming more than six weeks after the conflict began.

Swaths of northern Gaza have been destroyed, displacing up to 1 million people. Israel claims to have killed thousands of Hamas fighters, although evidence for this count has not been presented. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) cautioned Gaza residents that the humanitarian pause is temporary, emphasizing the northern Gaza Strip as a dangerous war zone.

Despite warnings, some Palestinians in southern Gaza attempted to return to their homes in the north at the start of the ceasefire, facing obstacles from Israeli troops. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant described the ceasefire as a short respite, anticipating intense fighting to continue after its conclusion. He mentioned the expectation of at least another two months of fighting.

On Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, there was calm, a day after Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, carried out the highest number of attacks in one day since fighting began on October 8. While Hezbollah is not a party to the ceasefire agreement, it was widely expected to halt its attacks.

Read Also: Gaza Truce: Morocco Supports and Calls for Palestinian State

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Morocco, through its Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita, expressed satisfaction on November 23, 2023, following the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza starting Friday between Israel and Hamas. The agreement also involves the release of some Palestinian hostages and prisoners.

In a press briefing attended by Abdoulaye Bathily, the Special Representative for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Bourita stated, “We welcomed this agreement with satisfaction, hoping that the parties achieve a long-lasting and durable truce and ceasefire.”

This positive development aligns with Morocco’s commitment to regional stability and highlights its diplomatic engagement in the pursuit of peace. The statement underscores the Kingdom’s hope for a sustained period of calm and cooperation between the involved parties.

The Foreign Affairs Minister emphasized King Mohammed VI’s repeated appeals, urging conflict parties to commence a de-escalation process in the ongoing Gaza war. The aim is to establish a lasting ceasefire, enabling the distribution of crucial aid to the distressed residents of Gaza. This aligns with Morocco’s commitment to regional stability and humanitarian efforts.

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Read Also: Libya : UN Special Rep Credits Morocco for Electoral Success

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Karim Khan, announced that his office received a referral from South Africa, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros, and Djibouti. The referral requests an investigation into potential crimes committed in the Palestinian territories during Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas terror attacks.

Khan explained, ‘In accordance with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, a State Party may refer to the Prosecutor a situation in which one or more crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court appear to have been committed, requesting the Prosecutor to investigate the situation.’

He clarified that his office was already investigating the situation in the Palestinian territories, focusing on possible crimes since June 2014 in Gaza and the West Bank. This ongoing investigation was initiated in March 2021.

“It is ongoing and extends to the escalation of hostilities and violence since the attacks that took place on 7 October 2023,” Khan said. “In accordance with the Rome Statute, my Office has jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of a State Party and with respect to the nationals of States Parties.”

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Israeli Army Enters Al-Chifa Hospital in Gaza – Concerns Rise for Palestinian Civilians. UN and NGOs Express Alarm over Civilian Situation in Northern Palestinian Enclave amid Ongoing Israeli Military Operations.

At the 40th day of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Israeli army announced early Wednesday a ‘targeted operation against Hamas in a specific section of Al-Chifa Hospital’ in the northern Gaza Strip, as stated in a press release. Israeli soldiers are questioning individuals, including patients and doctors, within the hospital, while tanks and troop carriers surround the complex.

While the UN and NGOs express concerns about the situation of civilians in hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip, the focal point of Israeli military operations, the Israeli army stated that it has dispatched ‘Arabic-speaking and trained medical teams’ for this ‘complex’ environment to ensure ‘no harm is caused to civilians.

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In Al-Chifa Hospital, Youssef Abou Rich, the Hamas Deputy Health Minister, informed AFP that ‘dozens of Israeli soldiers and commandos’ were present ‘in the emergency and reception’ areas, with ‘tanks entering the hospital complex.’ He pleaded for immediate intervention from the UN and the international community to halt this operation.

With thousands, including the sick, medical staff, and war-displaced civilians, crowded into Al-Chifa Hospital, doctors and international NGOs state that none can leave without risking being targeted by gunfire, amidst ongoing clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters.

The war triggered on October 7 by the Hamas attack has resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties, the majority being civilians, according to Israeli authorities. About 240 hostages and prisoners have been abducted and taken to Gaza, as reported by the army.

In retaliation, Israel has relentlessly shelled the Gaza Strip and launched a ground operation on October 27. Israeli airstrikes have claimed the lives of 11,320 people, predominantly civilians, including 4,650 children, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.

During the night, the Hamas Health Ministry stated that the Israeli army had notified the hospital of its intention to carry out an operation. ‘We hold the occupation, the international community, and the United States entirely responsible for the safety of thousands of medical team members, the wounded, and the displaced within the compound. We warn against a massacre at the hospital,’ the ministry had indicated.

The Israeli army contends that Al-Chifa Hospital harbors strategic infrastructure of Hamas, accusing the group of using the population as ‘human shields,’ a claim echoed by the United States, Israel’s main ally. Palestinian officials, including the Gaza Health Ministry, vehemently deny this and have repeatedly called for the visit of ‘international investigative commissions.’

‘The adoption of the false narrative by the White House and the Pentagon, asserting that the resistance is using Al-Chifa for military purposes, has given the occupation the green light to commit further massacres against civilians,’ stated Hamas.

Al-Chifa’s director, Mohammed Abou Salmiya, reported on Tuesday that at least ‘179 bodies’ had to be buried in a mass grave. ‘There are bodies scattered in the hospital complex, and the morgue refrigeration units are no longer powered,’ he also told AFP before the Israeli operation in the hospital.

The pressure is mounting in Israel for the government to secure the release of hostages. The Families of Hostages and Missing Persons Forum demanded on Tuesday evening that the government approve an agreement in this regard. Earlier, about a hundred relatives of hostages had started a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, heading to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Simultaneously, an Egyptian television report indicated that the head of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, had discussed ‘the prisoner exchange file’ in Cairo, especially as two hostages were recently released by Hamas through Egyptian territory.

On Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister mentioned the possibility of an agreement to free hostages. However, Hamas later accused Israel of ‘hesitating’ on the release.

In Gaza, under complete Israeli siege since October 9, the humanitarian situation is dire, as per NGOs. The population is deprived of water, electricity, food, and medicine supplies. Humanitarian aid trickles in from neighboring Egypt.

In recent days, tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled the northern Gaza Strip, turned into a field of ruins, following Israel’s opening of ‘corridors’ for evacuation. According to the UN, over 1.6 million of the territory’s 2.4 million inhabitants have been displaced by the war.

In the southern part of the territory, also affected by Israeli airstrikes, hundreds of thousands of displaced people are crowded near the border with Egypt, close to the Rafah crossing point. This is the only exit from the Palestinian enclave not controlled by Israel, and conditions there are extremely harsh.

Read Also: Morocco Condemns Israeli Bombing of Qatar’s Gaza Reconstruction Committee HQ

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The children from Al-Quds who participated in the 14th iteration of the summer camps run by the Bayt Mal Al-Qods Asharif Agency were met on Saturday at the Palais des Hôtes in Rabat by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa on the directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

This Bayt Mal Al-Quds initiative is under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, and it is a reflection of the King’s unwavering support for the Holy City and its citizens.

It enhances the efforts of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency, which is devoted to assisting the Holy City of Al-Quds and its citizens via numerous programs that have a great influence on the populace of the Holy City, especially women, children, and those in challenging situations.

Since its inception in 2008, the summer camp program of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency has seen a total of 700 children from various districts of the Holy City, accompanied by 70 supervisors, visit various regions of the Kingdom and experience firsthand the strength of Moroccans’ solidarity with the Palestinians. The program is now in its 14th year.

The “Green March” this year, which took place from August 10 to August 26, benefited, as in previous years, kids (boys and girls) from the city of Al-Quds who were between the ages of 11 and 14. They were also joined by guardians from the Holy City.

Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa took part in this event by posing for a portrait with the Maqdessis campers and their counselors.

Read also: Morocco’s concern for Al-Quds and its people is consistent and appreciated – Palestinian Minister

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Morocco’s concern for Al-Quds and its citizens, led by HM King Mohammed VI, is a consistent, valued effort that has positively impacted various elements of life in the holy city, according to Fadi Al-Hadmi, Minister of Al-Quds Affairs.

The summer camp of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency is just one example of the persistent and ongoing communication between Al-Quds and Morocco, according to a Palestinian minister who spoke to MAP.

Al-Hadmi took the opportunity to express his gratitude for HM the King’s true and genuine involvement in defending Al-Quds and the work done by Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency in this regard, which touches on many facets of daily life.

In addition to five monitors, 50 Al-Quds students between the ages of 11 and 14 attended the summer camp this year.

This particular march, affectionately dubbed the “Green March” by His Majesty the King, is a wonderful deed that demonstrates His Majesty’s respect for the Palestinian people.

Read also: Bayt Mal Al-Quds’ Summer Camp Has Great Moral Impact on Al-Quds Population – Palestinian Official

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In line to education official Samir Jibril, the summer camp conducted under the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI for the benefit of Al-Quds’ youngsters has a significant moral impact on the city’s people.

On the occasion of the 14th iteration of this summer camp, Jibril stated to MAP that this project is particularly valued by the people of Al-Quds since it provides a significant educational impetus for their children, highlighting the fact that this is the best program for the kids to date.

The Palestinian official expressed his gratitude to HM the King for the efforts made by Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency to assist education and schooling, provide scholarships, and support other industries such as housing, healthcare, agriculture, and culture.

He added that it was inspiring, honorable, and humane of HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa to welcome this delegation from Al-Quds.

In accordance with HM King Mohammed VI’s directive, HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa welcomed the Al-Quds kids attending the 14th iteration of the summer camp run by the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency on Saturday.

Since its inception in 2008, the summer camp program of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency has taken 700 kids from various neighborhoods of the Holy City, along with 70 supervisors, to various parts of the Kingdom to witness firsthand the depth of Moroccans’ solidarity with the Palestinians.

The “Green March” this year, which took place from August 10 to August 26, benefited, as in previous years, kids (boys and girls) from the city of Al-Quds who were between the ages of 11 and 14. They were also joined by guardians from the Holy City.

Read also: Ceremony to commemorate “Kingdom of Morocco Day in Al-Quds” in Palestine

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The “Day of the Kingdom of Morocco in Al-Quds” ceremony was held on Friday in Al-Quds to commemorate the agency’s 25th anniversary and silver jubilee. The Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency provides services in Al-Quds with the goal of enhancing the resiliency of the city’s citizens and its institutions.

The celebration of King Mohammed VI’s 24th anniversary of ascending to the throne of His noble predecessors falls on the same day as this event.

Organized by the Association of the Moroccan Cultural Center – “Bayt Al Maghrib” in Al-Quds, the ceremony took place in the presence of the managing director of the Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif Agency, Mohamed Salem Cherkaoui, the Moroccan ambassador to Palestine, Abderrahim Meziane, Muslim and Christian clerics, eminent personalities from Al-Quds, representatives of United Nations agencies, presidents of associations and social and civil institutions, as well as the representative of the Chamber of Commerce.

Ribbon-cutting ceremonies, the opening of the Kingdom of Morocco exhibition, and tours of its exhibits marked the start of the celebration. This area features handcrafted Moroccan items like pottery, brassware, kitchen utensils, traditional clothing and jewelry, musical instruments, and traditional carpets. In the center of the room is a painting of flowers in the colors of the kingdom’s flag, along with portraits of the Alaouite Cherifian dynasty’s monarchs and photographs of the country’s historical landmarks.

On this occasion, representatives of Al-Quds hailed both the significant support provided by the Sovereign for the Holy City and its citizens on behalf of the Kingdom of Morocco, led by King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee.

Read also: Israel-Palestine Conflict: Morocco, under Leadership of HM the King, Reiterates Position in Favor of Peace as Strategic Choice – FM

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London – Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans living Abroad, Nasser Bourita, held talks on Wednesday with the UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and United Nations, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, on the latest developments in the situation in the region and in Africa.

The telephone conversation between Mr. Ahmad of Wimbledon and Mr. Bourita, which he called as “constructive,” was centered on the “situation in Israel and the +Occupied Palestinian Territories+, Niger, and Libya, in addition to broader bilateral and regional issues,” according to a tweet from Mr. Ahmad.

When it came to this, Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon sent His Majesty King Mohammed VI his “warm wishes following Throne Day.”

Moroccan-British ties are consistently improving as a result of a political commitment on both sides to preserving a century-old alliance.

The fourth session of the two Kingdoms’ strategic dialogue was held in Rabat in May, giving London the chance to stress that the eight-century-old alliance can only get stronger, especially as it covers several important areas like trade, education, and climate change.

Read also: Israel-Palestine Conflict: Morocco, under Leadership of HM the King, Reiterates Position in Favor of Peace as Strategic Choice – FM

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Rabat – Morocco, under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, reiterates its position in favor of peace as the strategic choice to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, said Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, on Monday.

At a virtual ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the incidents of burning copies of the Holy Quran in Sweden, Bourita said that the Kingdom supports the peace process aimed at achieving a just, lasting, and comprehensive solution that will allow the comradely Palestinian people to regain their legitimate rights and establish their independent, viable, and sovereign state with East Al-Quds as its capital.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs emphasized that the Kingdom reaffirms its rejection of all reprehensible provocative acts and unilateral measures and practices targeting the occupied Palestinian territories, Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and Al-Aqsa Mosque in a speech read on his behalf by Fouad Akhrif, Director of Orient, Gulf, and Arab and Islamic Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates.

HM the King, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, assured Bourita that the Palestinian issue and Al-Quds Al-Sharif have been and will continue to be the cause of all Moroccans, the King, the Government, and the people, and a major focus of Morocco’s political, diplomatic, and humanitarian action on the ground.

Read also: Under Enlightened Leadership of HM the King, Morocco Has Launched Several Initiatives Aimed at Enshrining Fundamentals of Coexistence, Dialogue between Civilizations – FM

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