Hamas once declared a delay in release, demanding ‘compliance with the Israeli agreement’
Israel responds to Hamas hostage release by releasing 39 prisoners
After several hours of delay, the Palestinian armed faction Hamas handed over 13 hostages eligible for secondary release to the Red Cross. Separately, it was reported that seven foreigners were released together.
According to CNN, Haaretz, and the Times of Israel (TOI), Hamas announced that it handed over 13 hostages and 7 foreign nationals to the Red Cross on the 25th (local time), the second day of the ceasefire. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that they were coming to the Rafah border.
Previously, the Hamas armed organization Al Qassam Brigades postponed the second release scheduled for 4 PM (11 PM Korean time), saying that Israel must comply with the terms of the agreement. There was speculation that 13 to 14 hostages would be released that day, following 24 the previous day.
According to reports, Hamas appears to have taken issue with the import of aid trucks included in the agreement as a condition for the release of hostages along with the ceasefire. This means that a sufficient number of trucks must be brought into the northern Gaza Strip. It was reported that 133 trucks entered Gaza that day.
As news of Hamas’ postponement of hostage release became known, concerns about the breakdown of the agreement grew. In addition, the Israeli military authorities heightened tensions by warning that they would immediately resume military operations to eliminate Hamas once the agreement period ends.
Accordingly, Qatar and Egypt stepped forward to persuade Israel and Hamas, and U.S. President Joe Biden also spoke on the phone with the Qatari leadership. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari later said obstacles to implementing the agreement had been overcome.
In response to the second hostage release on this day, Israel reportedly plans to release 39 Palestinian prisoners in the country. It is said that there are 33 children and 6 women. Israel and Hamas are expected to maintain a ceasefire for four days and continue releasing prisoners in stages.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.