No release of IOF captives until all Palestinian prisoners freed: PIJ
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A humanitarian pause is scheduled to commence on November 24 at 7AM, a spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.
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Palestinians inspect the rubble of a destroyed building of the Muharib family killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Nusseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023 (AP)
On Thursday, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement (PIJ) stated that it will not release IOF captives until all Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons are freed.
"We reiterate our position that enemy [Israeli] non-civilian captives will not be released until all of our prisoners are released from enemy prisons," the movement said in a statement.
A humanitarian pause is scheduled to commence on November 24 at 7 AM, a spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The ministry stated that a total of 13 Israeli women and children will be released on the initial day of the humanitarian pause in exchange for a number of Palestinian women and children.
The ministry has reported the conclusion of discussions with all involved parties and mediators for a truce in the Gaza Strip.
"The list of hostages that will be released has been handed to the Israeli Intelligence Services," the statement read.
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Hamas has also confirmed that the humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip is scheduled to commence on November 24, noting that the truce will last for a period of four days and will release three Palestinian prisoners for every freed Israeli captive.
Al-Qassam Brigades likewise confirmed that the truce will begin tomorrow and that it will be accompanied by a cessation of all military actions by the Al-Qassam Brigades, the Palestinian resistance, and the IOF throughout the truce period.
Temporary truce to come into force
It is worth noting that what is being implemented is a temporary truce and not a permanent ceasefire.
The difference between a temporary truce and a ceasefire is that a truce, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), is defined as a "temporary cessation of hostilities purely for humanitarian purposes" and requires "the agreement of all relevant parties," stressing that typically it is implemented for "a defined period and specific geographic area."
Therefore, it is highly likely that fighting is set to resume once the truce expires.
In an exclusive interview with Al Mayadeen on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that if the cessation of hostilities does not continue, the circumstances in the region would change, and the war's scope would widen.
"We do not look forward to its expansion, but any possibility is on the table if the aggression continues."
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