Israel-Hamas Deal Begins to Work

UPDATE Jan 18, 2024 12:00 AM CST

A shipment of medicine meant for Israeli hostages being held by Hamas entered Gaza late Wednesday, according to Qatar, which brokered the deal between Israel and Hamas along with France. A senior Hamas official says that for every box of medicine that arrives for a hostage, 1,000 will arrive for Palestinians in Gaza, the AP reports. Food and humanitarian aid will also be delivered to Palestinians as part of the agreement. Since France supports Israel, Hamas demanded that Qatar provide the medications, and it will not allow Israeli authorities to inspect the shipments.

Jan 17, 2024 12:30 AM CST

Israel and Hamas have reached a deal on medicine and aid amid the ongoing war in Gaza. In an agreement brokered by Qatar and France, the two sides agreed medicine will be delivered to Israeli hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for medicine and humanitarian aid being delivered to Palestinians in Gaza, CNN reports. This is the first deal between Israel and Hamas since the end of the temporary ceasefire in November, the AP reports.

"Medicine along with other humanitarian aid is to be delivered to civilians in the Gaza Strip, in the most affected and vulnerable areas, in exchange for delivering medication needed for Israeli captives in Gaza," the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday in a statement. At least a third of the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas have chronic medical conditions and their families have been calling for medicine to be delivered to them; about 45 of them will receive medication as a part of this deal.

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As for Palestinians in Gaza, humanitarian organizations have said the medication and aid allowed in by Israel so far is not enough. Medications and aid will leave Doha on Wednesday, but it's not clear when they might arrive in Gaza. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)