2023-11-25 19:39:00
“After a delay in the release of prisoners on both sides, the obstacles have been removed through Qatari-Egyptian talks with both sides,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari said.
In the evening, 39 Palestinian women and minors imprisoned in Israel would be released in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas to the Gaza Strip seven weeks ago. Outside this agreement, seven civilians will also be released, it is said. This obviously meant seven other hostages kidnapped from Israel.
The Islamist Hamas confirmed the success of the negotiations in the evening. The armed wing of Hamas had previously surprisingly announced that the handover of the second group of hostages would be delayed because Israel had violated part of the agreement. The Al-Qassam Brigades accused Israel of not allowing enough aid to be delivered to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
According to media reports, Israel has already threatened to resume the offensive in the Gaza Strip if the hostages kidnapped by Hamas are not released by midnight. Israel said it would abide by the agreement.
Hamas spokesman Osama Hamdan said at a news conference on Saturday that Israel had not fulfilled its part of the ceasefire agreement and that mediators had been informed of Israeli violations. He also said the group reaffirmed its commitment to the Egyptian- and Qatar-backed ceasefire that began on Friday. Hamdan said a total of 340 aid shipments had entered the Gaza Strip since Friday and that 65 of those shipments had reached the northern Gaza Strip – “that is less than half of what Israel agreed to.”
“Hamas is aware that the Israeli military will continue the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip if the hostages are not released by midnight,” an Israeli security official told the news site “ynet” on Saturday – and accused Hamas of ” “played the same game”. Accordingly, the travel route and transport of the hostages were changed at short notice. According to the official, more than 61 of 200 aid shipments planned for the day also arrived in the northern Gaza Strip.
In Israel, the handover of the Israelis was expected around 3 p.m. CET. More than an hour later, Israeli media reported a “technical” delay. Egypt and Qatar tried to find a solution.
List of 14 women and children
According to Egyptian security sources, Hamas had sent a list of 14 Israeli women and children. There were also different information regarding the exact number of hostages who were to be released on Saturday. Israeli media reported last-minute negotiations over whether to release 13 or 14 Israelis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the list was being reviewed by security authorities. The office did not comment on the number or further details. According to Israeli prison authorities, the release of 42 Palestinian prisoners is being prepared in return.
With the ceasefire, as part of the agreement, humanitarian aid began to be transported through the Egyptian Rafah border crossing to the south of the Gaza Strip to alleviate the people’s suffering. The Palestinian Red Crescent spoke of 196 trucks. On Saturday there should be 260 trucks. In the morning, food and medicine as well as gas for cooking and diesel were delivered to the coastal strip.
A total of 24 people were released on Friday, the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. In return, 39 Palestinian women and teenagers were released from Israeli prisons, according to the Emirate of Qatar, which is acting as a mediator between the warring parties. In the major Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, around 240 people were abducted to the Gaza Strip.
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Israel: Second group of hostages not yet handed over to Red Cross
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