Israel has agreed to a Hamas request for a two-hour humanitarian ceasefire in the Shejaiya “refugee camp” near Gaza City, where Hamas claims dozens of civilians were killed. The temporary truce does not apply to other areas, and the war is continuing in high gear on both sides.
The ceasefire began at 1:30 p.m. Israeli time and will allow medics to treat the wounded and remove the dead. In addition, the IDF has announced it will open a field hospital at the Erez Crossing on the northern border of Gaza for the benefit of Gaza civilians.
“The request was addressed by the international committee of the Red Cross through the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories,” The IDF stated.
“During this time the Palestinian population has been called to evacuate the area, move west and cross the Salah ad-Din road to Gaza City,” it added in a statement. “Any attempt to violate this window will not be tolerated.”
Hamas and the IDF were engaged in fierce clashes in Shejaiya Saturday night and Sunday, and Hamas has claimed it inflicted casualties on Israeli soldiers.
It has orchestrated lies and half-truths to lead foreign media into the trap of believing that Israel is carrying out a massacre, while Israel’s hands are tied because of information that cannot be revealed due to military censorship.
In the meantime, it has gained a major advantage in its propaganda campaign.