There were no reports of bombing, artillery or rocket fire as Israel and Hamas began a four-day truce in Gaza on Friday, the first pause in the 48-day war that has devastated the Palestinian enclave. This was reported by Reuters. 


The truce began at 7 a.m. (05:00 GMT), covering a comprehensive ceasefire in northern and southern Gaza. The terms included the release of 13 Israeli women and children held hostage, the provision of aid to the besieged enclave, and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.


A Reuters correspondent in northern Gaza did not observe any Israeli air force activity and did not find the traces usually left by Palestinian rocket launches. Lebanese TV channel Al-Mayadeen TV also reported no bombing.


Israel monitored the southern Gaza Strip, where sirens warned of possible Palestinian rocket attacks, but there was no immediate confirmation of launches.


The fighting that preceded the ceasefire lasted several hours. Officials in the Hamas-controlled enclave reported the bombing of a hospital in Gaza City. Both sides also indicated that the pause could be temporary before fighting resumes.


The hospital in Gaza, which has been under constant bombardment, was left without power and filled with patients who were too weak to be transported. One patient died and three were injured.


Aid for Gaza, including fuel and food, will start arriving and the release of hostages will begin at 16:00 (14:00 GMT), said a spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry.


Egypt has promised daily supplies of 130,000 liters of diesel fuel and four trucks of gas to Gaza. Additional aid, including 200 trucks of other needs, will also be delivered.


Hamas confirmed the cessation of hostilities on its Telegram channel.


Earlier, we reported that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas would come into effect tomorrow, November 24, at 7 a.m. The hostages will be released at 4 pm. This was stated by Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed Al-Ansari, according to The Times of Israel.

UPDATED

The truce between Israel and Hamas is on the verge of collapse. This was stated by Al-Jazeera.


It is reported that the IDF fired on a group of Palestinians who were trying to return to the northern part of Gaza.