Netanyahu claims that the hostages held by Hamas have been released at last
On Thursday Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had accused Hamas of breaching key elements of the deal for the purpose of pressing for additional concessions with the latter denying the claim.
On Friday (January 17, 2025) the office stated that Prime Minister of Israel Mr.Benjamin Netanyahu stated that they had closed a “deal to release the hostages” and directed the political-security cabinet to meet later on Friday.
A statement from Netanyahu’s office said: “Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu received information from the members of the negotiating team that all the relevant agreements for the freeing of the hostages have been made.”
The political-security cabinet was instructed by the Prime Minister of Israel to gather tomorrow (Friday). The government will then convene to approve the deal,” Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
It said that the families of the hostages have been notified and that arrangements were being made to meet the families on their return.
If the truce agreement is ratified by Israel’s cabinet it will start on Sunday and include the swapping of Israeli hostages for Palestinians prisoners as the permanent terms of the cessation of the war will be negotiated.
This was declared by Qatari and American mediators on Wednesday.
Destruction in Gaza
According to estimates of the United Nations Satellite center or UNOSAT – a division of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research or UNITAR – overall 69 percent structures are impacted in the Gaza Strip until December 1st, 2024. Through their analysis, UNOSAT estimated the level of destruction of houses and other properties where the thumbnails the following results; totally destroyed, 60,368; severely damaged 20,050; Moderately damaged, 56,292; Possible damaged, 34,102. In all these structures, total housing units damaged estimates to 2,45,123.
Since the September 6, 2024, when the analysis of UNOSAT was made, the governorates of North Gaza and Rafah particularly indicated the highest increase in the level of damage. Approximately 3,138 structures were affected, and 3,054 structures collapsed in Rafah, North Gaza alone. Of all the municipalities in North Gaza, Jabalya had the most newly damaged structures with 93.
The status of structures shown in areas or neighborhoods of the Gaza Strip in maps below indicates the following. Every circular dark red point refers to a complete loss as for a circular bright red point, it refers to building which is heavily affected.
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