Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, around 1,000 Israeli soldiers have been injured, of which 202 are in critical condition. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz: “After refusing to provide information: The Israeli army admits that around 1,000 officers and soldiers of its forces have been injured since the start of the war in Gaza, including 202 seriously wounded, 320 with moderate wounds and 470 with minor injuries”.
In a statement by Chief of Staff General Herzi Halevi: “The IDF is ready to continue fighting.” “Seventy-six (76) hostages have been brought home so far. Children, women, civilians and soldiers, who were taken by a murderous and ruthless terrorist organization, and not everyone has returned yet. It brings great relief to everyone who is freed, but there is not an ounce of relief that more remain. We will work to bring them all back.”
According to the UNRWA spokesperson, there are 1.1 million displaced people in the Gaza Strip and unprecedented overcrowding in reception centres.
As of November 27, the Qatari administration has spoken of an extension of the truce. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced “that an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for another two days in Gaza.” 33 Palestinians will be released, against 11 held in Israeli cells, as part of the commitments on the fourth day of the armistice agreement. The fourth group of people released includes 30 minors and 3 Palestinian women.
But Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has higher ambitions: “We confirm the continued intensification of efforts with the aim of achieving a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.” 69 Israeli hostages and 150 Palestinian women and children were released during the four-day truce. The expectations of the spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry are more moderate: “Our goal is to reach an agreement for a longer humanitarian truce in Gaza. An increase in the percentage of aid that entered Gaza, but did not meet expectations. We support the push to bring aid to northern Gaza. We have confirmation that 20 hostages in Gaza can be released within two days.”
The Israeli channel Kan spoke of a maximum total truce to be extended by ten days according to the agreement concluded with Hamas. Defense Minister Gantz declared that: “At the end of the truce, the ground operation will expand to the entire Gaza Strip.” He also announced that three of his soldiers captured in the Gaza Strip were “dead”.
In the early hours of November 28, Israeli Army Radio announced: We have received the names of 10 new Israeli prisoners who are expected to be released by Hamas today, Tuesday.”
Also on November 28, according to Reuters data: “The heads of the Mossad and American intelligence met with the Prime Minister of Qatar in Doha to discuss the extension of the truce to Gaza.” Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya told Al Jazeera: We have managed to reach the required number of our prisoners; Extend the truce by two days, and hopefully we can extend it for a longer period.
Despite diplomatic action by Qatar and Egypt, Palestinian factions complain about violations of the temporary truce by Israel and have called for Israel to be forced to stop them. “We appreciate the role of Egypt and Qatar and call for a total end to the brutal war in Gaza. We appeal to our brothers in Egypt to welcome more of the wounded who need treatment.” Al Jazeera Correspondent: “Occupation tanks fire on the outskirts of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood and the Beach Camp, north-west of Gaza City.”
Israeli soldiers were injured by IEDs in the northern Gaza Strip. There were three bombs that hit the military convoy. On November 28, Israel continued arrests, around 32, carried out in Beit Furik and in the city of Tubas, Hebron, in the West Bank.
The National Assembly of Kuwait declared: “We announce the boycott of the products of companies that support the occupation forces and the cancellation of their contracts in cooperative societies.”
Now the spotlight is on the release of Israeli soldiers in the hands of Hamas. Izzat al-Rishq, of Hamas, said: “We are ready to negotiate on the captured occupation soldiers, but this dossier has not been opened yet, and these soldiers have a different situation, and Netanyahu knows it.”
According to Israeli estimates, Hamas has captured at least 150 officers, soldiers, police and intelligence personnel. Daoud Shehab, of the Islamic Jihad group, commented: The soldiers and resistance officers will have a completely different price.” “The resistance is managing the negotiation process and the military battle, in full coordination between Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the other factions.”
The Israeli military spokesman said: “We have a duty to return all prisoners to their homeland, whether by agreement or by war. Under the auspices of Egypt and Qatar, efforts to return the prisoners continue. We ask international institutions to allow the Red Cross to visit prisoners in Gaza.”
The spokesperson for the Gaza Health Ministry told Al Jazeera: “The damage to the health sector resulting from the bombing by the occupation amounts to millions of dollars. We call on all international institutions to take effective measures to protect the health system. Thanks to local capabilities, we were able to operate the renal unit at Al-Shifa Medical Complex. The medical help we have received in the last few days is very limited. Only 3 hospitals operate in the northern Gaza Strip.”
The Civil Protection Spokesperson in Gaza: “Since the beginning of the truce we have recovered more than 150 bodies under the rubble and in the streets.” The director of the al-Shifa hospital remains in prison in Israel, according to the Israeli channel Kan, the detention of the director, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, was extended for 45 days.
Shots heard in Rafah, on the Israeli side, and the area of southern Lebanon, on the outskirts of the city of Aita al-Shaab, is still hit. The Israeli Army Chief of Staff said: “We are not only defending the border with northern Lebanon, but we are also launching operations at our discretion.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
