Majed al Ansarispokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, the mediating country in the agreement between the Islamist group Hamas and Israel, stated that after “a delay” A second exchange of Israeli hostages with Palestinian prisoners will take place today by “overcoming obstacles” that caused Hamas to delay the exchange.
“After a delay in the implementation of the release of prisoners from both sides, Obstacles were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications with both sidesand this night 39 Palestinian civilians will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli detainees from Gaza in addition to 7 foreigners outside the framework of the agreement,” said the Qatari official on his official X account (formerly Twitter).
Among those released from Israeli prisons are “33 children and 6 women”while the Israeli hostages held by Hamas who will be released are 8 children and 5 womenin addition to the 7 foreigners, of whom he did not give details.
An Egyptian official assured EFE that the vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have already begun to move to receive the hostages.
Hamas delayed delivery of a second batch of hostages, scheduled for 14 GMT, and accused Israel of violating the terms of the agreement that they reached relative to the entry of humanitarian aid and the release of Palestinian prisoners with the longest service in prisons.
After several hours of silence following that Hamas announcement, the Israeli Government reported that the prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu carried out this afternoon “an evaluation of the situation with all the security elements to verify that the second phase is progressing as planned”.
According to Hebrew media, Israel had threatened the Islamist group with resume military offensive in Gaza if he does not free the second batch of captives before midnight.
The parties agreed this week, with the mediation of Egypt, Qatar and the US, the exchange of 50 Israeli hostages for 150 Palestinian prisonersduring four days of truce, and the entry of 200 trucks a day of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.
The Islamist group regretted that the aid that has reached the north of the Strip has been “much less than agreed”accused Israel of not meeting the seniority criteria by releasing yesterday’s 39 prisoners; as well as violate the truce by shooting two Gazans dead when they tried to visit their homes in the north of the enclave taking advantage of the lull in the fighting.