Ceasefire in Gaza could begin on January 19, an estimated 1,422 human rights defenders among those killed

Published by Brent Patterson on January 16, 2025January 16, 2025

Photo: “Relatives of Palestinian journalist Ahmed Al-Shayah mourn next to his body after he was killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike, at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 16 January. Photograph: Haitham Imad/EPA.”

The Guardian reports: “Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire deal, Qatar announced on Wednesday [January 15] evening in Doha. The deal, which is set to be begin on Sunday [January 19] and will last 42 days, will see the exchange of hostages detained by Hamas and Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons.”

CBC adds: “The complex accord outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase and includes the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip… It also does not guarantee a permanent truce.”

This morning The Guardian further reports: “Israel airstrikes killed at least 70 more people in Gaza overnight and during Thursday, Reuters reports residents and authorities in the territory said, hours after a prospective ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced to bring an end to 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas which has devastated the Gaza Strip and triggered a humanitarian crisis.”

An estimated 46,707 Palestinians have been killed over the past 467 days (15 months). This includes 18,000 children. It is also believed that 10,000 more people are uncounted because they are buried underneath rubble.

More than 110,265 Palestinians have also been wounded. According to the World Health Organization an estimated 22,500 have life-altering injuries that require but are not receiving rehabilitation. By the end of 2024 there had been at least 4,500 amputations. Every day 10 children lost one or both of their legs with operations and amputations conducted with little or no anesthesia due to Israel’s blockade.

Nearly 1.9 million people in Gaza are internally displaced, of which nearly 80 percent are living in makeshift shelters without adequate clothing or protection from the cold.

The Israeli military says 405 of its soldiers have been killed in combat in Gaza since October 2023. More than 1,200 Israelis were killed in the attack on October 7, 2023, and about 240 were taken captive.

The impact on human rights defenders

Front Line Defenders has stated: “Those defending the right to health and the right to life as doctors, nurses, or ambulance workers, those exposing and documenting war crimes as journalists, and those providing humanitarian support as volunteers or employees of aid agencies were all specifically targeted by Israeli bombs or guns.”

It is possible that more than 1,422 human rights defenders have been killed over the past 15 months.

Front Line Defenders has noted: “People considered to be human rights defenders in the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territory] include journalists, lawyers, medical workers, fieldworkers, international volunteers who act as independent observers and carry out human rights work and defenders working for economic, social and cultural rights.”

“Over 1,000 health workers have been killed” (Médecins Sans Frontières, January 7, 2025), “at least 254 aid workers have been killed in Gaza between 7 October 2023 and 30 April 2024” (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), “165 journalists and media workers were confirmed killed: 157 Palestinian, two Israeli, and six Lebanese” (Committee to Protect Journalists, January 15, 2025), 2 lawyers from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights were killed in airstrikes (European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, February 26, 2024), and 1 International Solidarity Movement volunteer (The Guardian, September 7, 2024) are among those killed.

Peace Brigades International called for a ceasefire in November 2023 and in March 2024 asked the international community to suspend the supply of arms to Israel and the armed groups involved in the conflict.