Monday, January 20

The historic Israel-Hamas ceasefire has commenced, and it is now entering its second day as prisoner exchanges begin and aid pours into Gaza.

The three-phase deal began yesterday, with the first phase taking effect. The first phase contains a 42-day ceasefire and has secured the eventual release of 33 Israeli hostages from Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel will release 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and withdraw their forces from the strip. Details on the second and third phases have not been released yet, as those phases will be negotiated during the first phase.

Three Israeli hostages have already been returned by Hamas, marking the beginning of an expected peaceful six weeks ahead for the region. Meanwhile, Israel has released 90 Palestinian prisoners, and there are many more to come. The next exchange of prisoners is set for Saturday, January 25, where Hamas will release an additional four hostages and Israel will release dozens more Palestinians.

Aid is also pouring into Gaza, as the stricken area is in desperate need of shelter, water, food, and other supplies. Over 630 aid trucks entered the strip on Sunday alone, and the United Nations has confirmed that they have thousands of trucks waiting to enter. Around 300 of the trucks that entered were headed to northern Gaza, which has been the hardest-hit by the war-- it was the first area hit by Israel's initial attacks.

Health in the region is also a large issue, as people are undernourished and disease is spreading in severely unsanitary conditions. A new report showed that due to Israel's persistent attacks, Gaza no longer has any fully operational hospitals -- around 50% are partially operating, though -- and over 1,000 health workers have been killed.

Unfortunately, the problems go on. Shelter is also a massive issue, as Israel's constant bombings and airstrikes have damaged or destroyed 92% of homes in Gaza, according to the UN. They say that 436,000 houses have been affected, 160,000 of which have been completely destroyed, and around 90% of Gazans have been displaced by the conflict.

While local agencies and volunteers have a lot of work to do, progress is being made. Countries continue to send aid to Gaza, and that aid is being used to save lives every day. Nations all over the world have celebrated the historic ceasefire deal, which could continue even after the 42 days are over if negotiations are successful. Also, the prospect of more prisoner releases in the future will motivate both sides to hold the ceasefire, giving Gaza time to recover from the damage inflicted by Israel during the war. However, while the situation is improving every day, the ceasefire is still extremely fragile, and could easily fracture if either side breaks the agreement.

Upcoming Events:

• Winter World University Games End (Thursday, January 23)

• Winter X Games Begin (Thursday, January 23)

• International Day of Education (Friday, January 24)

• Winter X Games End (Saturday, January 25)

• International Day of Clean Energy (Sunday, January 26)

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Cashews, like most nuts, grow on trees. Cashews grow on the cashew apple tree, which produces fruits known as cashew apples. Underneath the cashew apple is the shell of the cashew nut, inside of which is the cashew we eat. Unlike their counterparts, cashew apples are not widely eaten, though, due to their strong, acidic, and bitter taste.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. (Martin Luther King Jr.)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Virtuoso (noun, ver-choo-OH-soh) - Virtuoso is used broadly to refer to a person who does something very skillfully, and is often used specifically to refer to a very skillful musician.

In a Sentence: He’s a real virtuoso in the kitchen, whipping up gourmet dishes for his family not just on holidays but on regular weeknights.