TEL AVIV, November 23. /TASS/. The Israeli armed forces are ready to immediately resume hostilities, should the ceasefire regime in the Gaza Strip be violated, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
"We will act wisely, and, once the ceasefire days are over, we will return to war. Maybe, we will have to do that much earlier; maybe, there will be a violation [of the ceasefire], and we will not stand like sheep. We will do what is necessary to implement the plan [on returning hostages from Gaza], but, should it be violated, we will know what to do," he said during a press conference.
The Prime Minister underscored that Israeli prioritizes the return of all hostages in accordance with the approved plan, but it does not mean that the Palestinian radicals in the Gaza Strip will be granted total freedom. He noted that the military have an order to take action in case of a direct threat.
Following an hours-long special meeting late on November 21, the Israeli government approved a plan that provides for the return of at least 50 hostages from the Gaza Strip within 4 days, after which the military operation in the enclave will continue. On November 22, the Ministry of Justice of Israel published a list of 300 Palestinian hostages that may be released under the agreement.
Meanwhile, on November 22, Hamas announced an agreement with Israel, achieved with mediation from Qatar and Egypt, on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The movement confirmed that the agreements include the release of 50 women and children aged under 19 in exchange for the release of captives held in Israeli prisons.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel will stop hostilities for one day for every 10 hostages that are released. According to Tel Aviv, Hamas is currently holding over 200 people captive.
The situation in the Middle East has escalated abruptly after an armed infiltration of HAMAS militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel. The HAMAS movement considers this attack a response to the actions of Israeli authorities towards the Al Aqsa Mosque at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Israel announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip and started carrying out strikes on the enclave and certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.