Israel-Hamas war: Break in fighting expected Thursday

The Israel Defense Forces posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, to show what they said was evidence of a tunnel complex under al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza.

The video could not be independently verified and shows the entrance to a tunnel which led to a room with an air conditioning unit and nearby bathrooms.

The IDF released a second video from what it said was inside the tunnel.

The Israeli military took control of the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza after it alleged that Hamas militants were using the hospital as a command and control center.

It has previously released videos of weapons allegedly siezed inside the hospital and a tunnel running through the complex.

Gaza’s hospitals have played a central role in the dueling narratives surrounding the war.

Hospitals have a special status under the international laws of war. But they can lose that status if they are used for military purposes.

Hamas, deemed a terrorist organization by the EU, US and others, and the medical staff at the hospital deny that Shifa was used for military purposes.

British Foreign Minister David Cameron discussed with leaders of Arab and Muslim majority countries a political solution geared toward the release of all hostages.

The diplomats "focused on how to secure the release of all hostages, increase the amount of aid into Gaza, and reach a long-term political solution to the crisis," the UK government said in a press statement.

"We discussed how to use this step forward to think about the future and how we can build a peaceful future which provides security for Israel but also peace and stability for the Palestinian people," Cameron said after the meeting in London.

Cameron hailed the agreement struck earlier between Israel and Hamas militants to a pause in fighting and the release of some 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

"This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza," Cameron said.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, Turkey, Indonesia and Nigeria, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League and the Ambassador of Qatar, attended the meeting, the UK said. 

The Gaza Strip is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell told the Security Council.

She said more than 5,300 children were reportedly killed in over six weeks of fighting in the Gaza strip.

"Based on these figures, children account for 40% of the deaths in Gaza; this is unprecedented; in other words, today, the Gaza Strip is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child," Russel said.

She also told those attending the Security Council meeting on Gaza a further 1,200 children are under the rubble or unaccounted for. UNICEF called for a lasting humanitarian ceasefire. 

Russel, however, said the harm to children would last long after the war ended.

"Children who manage to survive the war are likely to see their lives irreparably altered through repeated exposure to dramatic events."

India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, called on leaders of the world's wealthiest and developing nations to work together to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from escalating.

"It is important to provide timely and sustained humanitarian assistance. It is also important to ensure that the war between Israel and Hamas does not take any regional form," Modi said.

He was speaking at thevirtual summit of G20 nations, of which India holds the presidency.

Modi welcomed the Israel and Hamas hostage deal. "We hope that all the hostages will be released soon," he said. 

The Swiss government announced that it will introduce a draft legislation by the end of February to ban any activities linked to Hamas in the country.

"The act will provide the federal authorities with the necessary tools to counter any Hamas activities or support for the organization in Switzerland," the government said in a statement.

It also called for respect for international humanitarian law, particularly the protection of civilians during the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. 

"In view of the dramatic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the Federal Council stresses the need to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access. Humanitarian pauses are necessary for this purpose."

Israel, the United States, Germany and several other nations designate Hamas as a terror organization. 

The United Nations has welcomed the Israel-Hamas hostage deal in Gaza that will see a pause in fighting for four days.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "welcomes the agreement reached by Israel and Hamas, with the mediation of Qatar supported by Egypt and the United States," his spokesperson said in a statement.

"This is an important step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done," the spokesperson added.

Guterres said the UN would provide support for the implementation of the deal.

The World Health Organization has also welcomed the agreement while adding that it would not be enough to end human suffering.

"We welcome the announcement of the Israel-Hamas agreement for 50 Israeli hostages to be released," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media.

He too welcomed the four-day pause in fighting.

However, he went on to say that the deal is "not enough to end the suffering of civilians" and "that those still in captivity must receive any needed medical care.

"We continue to call for all hostages to be released," Tedros said. "We also continue to call for a cease-fire so that civilians in Gaza can receive sustained, safe and scaled-up support for recovery."

The US, EU, Germany and other governments consider Hamas to be a terror group.

A brother of one of the hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of some hostages.

"We are feeling thrilled, we were waiting for this deal, we are very firm that we support this deal for the last few weeks since it came into critical stages before approval," Gili Roman told DW.

His sister, Yarden Roman, is one of about 240 people taken hostage by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups during their terror attacks on southern Israel on October 7. 

Roman said he does not know if his sister will be among the 50 hostages that Hamas agreed to release in exchange for a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza and the release of 150 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

"I am excited, I want to see them back already," he said.

Whatever happens, he hoped the Red Cross would be given access to the remaining hostages in Gaza, "I believe that is a step forward."

Roman also said the Israeli government should continue to push for the release of more hostages.

"[I hope] much more people are alive and can be released and that might take a while longer, but it doesn't mean that after this deal, this is the end of the civilians and soldiers that can be saved," Roman said.

"We want to see all the hostages back we understand that it might come with difficulty to the military...but we also want to see a safe and secure Israel for all citizens," he added. 

The first group of Israeli hostages in Gaza is expected to be released on Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen told the military-operated Army Radio.

He declined to confirm reports about a specific time.

Egypt's state-run Qahera television channel reported that the pause in fighting was expected to commence at 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT).

Moussa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas' political bureau, told Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera he also expected the pause in fighting to begin on Thursday morning. 

Pope Francis met separately with the families of Israeli hostages in Gaza and the families of Palestinian prisoners in Israel on Wednesday.

"They suffer a lot, and I heard how they both suffer," he said.

"Wars do this, but here we have gone beyond wars. This is not war, this is terrorism," the pope added.

The meeting was held before the announcement of the hostage deal.

Francis asked for prayers so that both sides would "not go ahead with passions, which, in the end, kill everyone."

Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has slammed the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

In a lengthy post on social media on Wednesday, the far-right politician called the deal "immoral, illogical and very far from enough."

According to the Times of Israel, Ben-Gvir welcomed the return of 50 hostages from Gaza but said "we have no right or permission to agree to the idea of separating them and only bringing some back."

He also said that the pause in fighting would militarily benefit Hamas, which is listed as a terrorist group by the US, the EU, Germany and others.

Ben-Gvir was among the Israeli ministers who voted against the deal on Tuesday night.

Many Israeli and world leaders have welcomed the deal, as have families of the many of the hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 attacks in southern Israel. 

Israel's military struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning before an expected mutually agreed pause in fighting officially goes into effect.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on Telegram that its troops destroyed a tunnel from which a Hamas fighter exited.

Hamas is classified as a terrorist group by the US, the EU, Germany and other governments.

"Moreover, IDF troops identified terrorists and located weapons in a structure used by the Hamas terrorist organization," the army said.

"The troops killed the terrorists and destroyed the structure."

IDF spokesperson Peter Lerner said military activities will be paused in accordance with government directives.

"The operations are ongoing," he told DW on Wednesday morning. "The reality on the ground is that Hamas are still engaging our forces, and we are seeking them out and pursuing them wherever they are."

Israel's Justice Ministry released a list of names of 300 Palestinian prisoners who could be eligible for release under the hostage deal.

Most of the people listed are men and mainly teenagers detained over the past year for rock-throwing and other minor offenses, according to media reports.  Under Israeli law, the public has 24 hours to object to any release.

The list represents twice the number of people initially slated for release — 150 Palestinian women and children — in return for the release of 50 hostages from Gaza and a pause in fighting.

An Israeli government decision calls for the Palestinian prisoners to only be released if 100 living hostages are freed from Gaza and returned to Israel.

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said he hoped the hostage deal would lead to a peace process in Gaza.

"We thank our partners who contributed to reaching the humanitarian pause agreement in Gaza, particularly the US and Egypt," he said on social media.

"We hope that it will establish a comprehensive and sustainable agreement that will put an end to the war and the bloodshed, and lead to serious talks for a comprehensive and just peace process in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock joined world leaders in welcoming the agreement between Israel and Hamas militants.

"The announced release of a first major group of #hostages is a breakthrough - even if nothing in the world can undo their suffering," Baerbock wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen "wholeheartedly" welcomed the agreement between Israel and the militant group Hamas on Wednesday.

"I share the joy of the families who can soon embrace their loved ones again," she said.

"And I am so grateful to all those who have worked tirelessly through diplomatic channels in recent weeks to broker this agreement," von der Leyen added. 

"I call on the terrorist Hamas to immediately release all hostages and allow them to return home safely," she said.