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Middle East conflict

World Food Program lauds agreement on humanitarian pause in Gaza

According to the WFP, more than 700,000 Gaza residents have received food aid

ROME, November 23. /TASS/. Executive Director of the World Food Program (WFP) Cindy McCain has hailed the agreement on a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip as "an important and welcome first step."

"As hunger threatens the lives of nearly every civilian in Gaza, this agreement must be upheld in full to allow food and other life-saving supplies to reach those who so desperately need it," she said in a statement posted on the organization’s website.

According to McCain, trucks with food "slated for families in shelters and homes across Gaza, and wheat flour for bakeries to resume operations" are waiting at the Rafah crossing on the border with the Gaza Strip. "I am hopeful that the agreement for fuel materializes, so that our trucks can carry in much needed supplies," she said. "Humanitarians must have safe, unimpeded access, and civilians must be able to receive assistance safely, wherever they are. A steady and sufficient amount of humanitarian supplies must be able to cross into Gaza."

She called for a longer humanitarian pause.

According to the WFP, more than 700,000 Gaza residents have received food aid.

Hamas said earlier that a Qatar-and Egypt-mediated agreement had been reached with Israel on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. It confirmed that under the agreement it would release 50 women and children and teenagers under 19 who are held hostage in the enclave in exchange for the release of 150 women and children under 19 from Israeli prisons.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that the Israeli government had approved a plan envisaging the return of at least 50 hostages from the Gaza Strip in the next four days, during which a ceasefire will be observed in the enclave. As soon as the humanitarian pause is over, Israel will resume its operation in the enclave. Under the deal, Israel would halt hostilities for a day for the release of ten more hostages. According to Tel Aviv, more than 200 people are held by militants.

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Palestine Israel Gaza Strip

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