Hostage Release Delayed as Israel and Hamas Disagree on Agreement Details
It appears that the highly anticipated hostage release, agreed upon by Israel and the Islamist Hamas, will not transpire until at least Friday. This is based on consistent reports from Israeli media outlets, such as Haaretz, N12, and The Times of Israel, regarding statements made by Israel's security advisor, Tzachi Hanegbi.
Initially, Hamas declared that the pause in fighting would commence on Thursday at 9 a.m. CET, with the first exchange of hostages expected on the same day. However, a rocket alert in the border area on Thursday morning has further complicated matters.
Hanegbi stated that conversations surrounding the release of hostages are ongoing and will continue. He added that the release will only commence according to the original agreement between the parties, with no anticipated start before Friday. Nevertheless, Israeli forces are preparing to implement the initial phase of the agreement.
The reason behind the delay is that both Israel and Hamas must first sign a document ratifying the agreement before it can be enforced. According to Israeli officials, this document should be signed within the following 24 hours in order for the first hostages to be released on Friday. The Jerusalem Post referred to this as a "last-minute complication."
The agreement between Israel and Hamas includes a maximum ten-day ceasefire in both Israel and Gaza. As part of the agreement, there's an exchange of up to 100 hostages from Israel for up to 300 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
Unsurprisingly, tensions remain between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, which is linked to Hamas and has repeatedly clashed with Israel's military since the Gaza war began seven weeks ago.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has expressed his support for the hostage release and plans to advocate for the liberation of all captives. In a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden emphasized that the ceasefire would facilitate the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid to Gaza.
As for the Israeli army's operations, they have uncovered further parts of a suspected Hamas tunnel system under the Shifa hospital in Gaza. The military published videos and images showing additional entrance points to tunnels, underground rooms, and hiding places.
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Release of hostages from Gaza to Israel apparently not until Friday
The release of hostages from the Gaza Strip, agreed upon between Israel and the Islamist Hamas, has apparently been delayed. According to consistent Israeli media reports, it is unlikely to take place before Friday. The newspaper "Haaretz," the TV station N12, and "The Times of Israel" referred to statements made by Israel's security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi.
Hamas announced the day before that the agreed pause in fighting would begin on Thursday at 9 a.m. CET. Accordingly, the first exchange of hostages kidnapped in Israel for Palestinian prisoners was expected to take place on the same day. Meanwhile, according to the Israeli army, there was another rocket alert in the border area on Thursday morning.
Enrichment Data:
- The delay in the hostage release is primarily due to discrepancies regarding the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, including allegations of Israeli violations and threats from the Israeli government to end the truce if Hamas does not comply.
- Efforts by mediators from Egypt and Qatar have attempted to remove obstacles to the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal, resulting in Hamas' announcement to adhere to the plan for hostage release as planned.
- For the release to occur, Israel must adhere to the terms of the agreement and ensure the safety of civilians in Gaza, while Hamas has vowed not to accept any Israeli violations that may disrupt the exchange process.
- Three of the Israeli hostages set to be released on Saturday include Israeli-Argentinian Iair Horn, Israeli-American Sagui Dekel Chen, and Israeli-Russian Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov.
Revised and Integrated Enrichment Data:
Efforts by mediators from Egypt and Qatar have attempted to remove obstacles to the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire deal, leading Hamas to affirm its commitment to the hostage release as planned. Nevertheless, tensions remain due to discrepancies regarding the implementation of the agreement, including allegations of Israeli violations. Israeli forces have vowed to adhere to the terms of the agreement and ensure the safety of civilians in Gaza, while Hamas has similarly emphasized its obligation to reject any Israeli violations that may disrupt the exchange process. Three Israeli hostages, including Iair Horn, Sagui Dekel Chen, and Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, are set to be released on Saturday.
