More hostages to be released today amid efforts to extend Israel-Hamas truce
More hostages and Palestinian inmates will be freed by Hamas and israel on Wednesday, the penultimate day of the two sides' truce in the Gaza Strip. According to a statement issued by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, the Israeli government has obtained a list of names of captives set to be released by Hamas today.
On tuesday, Hamas freed up to 12 additional captives, ten of them were Israelis and two of whom were Thai nationals. In the meanwhile, israel has freed 30 Palestinian inmates. The focus is now on whether mediator qatar can broker yet another truce extension. So far, Hamas has freed 81 hostages out of the 150 agreed upon as part of the truce. These were largely Israeli women and children, as well as international nationals. Under the continuing cease-fire, israel has freed 180 Palestinian inmates.
Both Hamas and Israeli military indicated optimism for future extensions of the cease-fire on Tuesday.
• The 12 hostages liberated by Hamas on tuesday were turned over to the international Committee of the red Cross (ICRC), where they received preliminary medical attention. They were subsequently transferred to Israeli hospitals, where they were reunited with their relatives. The captives ranged in age from 17 to 84, and included a mother-daughter combo. According to Reuters, the Palestinian Prisoner's Club, a semi-official body, the majority of the detainees freed on tuesday were women and juvenile guys.
On tuesday, Hamas freed up to 12 additional captives, ten of them were Israelis and two of whom were Thai nationals. In the meanwhile, israel has freed 30 Palestinian inmates. The focus is now on whether mediator qatar can broker yet another truce extension. So far, Hamas has freed 81 hostages out of the 150 agreed upon as part of the truce. These were largely Israeli women and children, as well as international nationals. Under the continuing cease-fire, israel has freed 180 Palestinian inmates.
Both Hamas and Israeli military indicated optimism for future extensions of the cease-fire on Tuesday.
• The 12 hostages liberated by Hamas on tuesday were turned over to the international Committee of the red Cross (ICRC), where they received preliminary medical attention. They were subsequently transferred to Israeli hospitals, where they were reunited with their relatives. The captives ranged in age from 17 to 84, and included a mother-daughter combo. According to Reuters, the Palestinian Prisoner's Club, a semi-official body, the majority of the detainees freed on tuesday were women and juvenile guys.
• On tuesday, qatar received Mossad Chief David Barnea and CIA director Bill Burns, as well as other top Qatari officials, in a bid to secure another extension of the Gaza truce. According to Reuters, the conference aimed to "build on the progress of the extended humanitarian pause agreement and to initiate further discussions about the next phase of a potential deal."
The officials addressed the boundaries of Hamas releasing male captives or Israeli military members, rather than simply women and children, for the next phase of the truce. They also assessed the prerequisites for establishing a cease-fire that would last more than a few days.
The officials addressed the boundaries of Hamas releasing male captives or Israeli military members, rather than simply women and children, for the next phase of the truce. They also assessed the prerequisites for establishing a cease-fire that would last more than a few days.