Hamas delays release of second group of Israeli hostages – media

Hamas’s military wing said it had decided to delay the release of the second group of Israeli hostages due to Israel’s alleged failure to comply with the terms of the agreement.

Source: The Times of Israel

Details: Hamas’s military wing said it was postponing the release of the hostages “until the occupation authorities (Israel – ed.) comply with the terms of the agreement related to the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip, as well as due to failure to comply with agreed standards release of prisoners.”

Details: At the same time, the publication reports that Israel has allowed the entry of 200 trucks into the Gaza Strip, as required by the agreement, and the Israeli military liaison group with the Palestinians COGAT reported earlier that 50 of these trucks reached northern Gaza.

Earlier on Saturday, senior Hamas official Taher al-Nono told Al Jazeera that Israel had also failed to meet conditions for the release of Palestinian prisoners, whom Hamas had insisted be released differently from those met by Israel.

According to reports, an Israeli official is threatening that if the next group of Israeli hostages is not released by midnight, Israel will resume military operations in the Gaza Strip.

This statement was quoted by a number of Hebrew media, but there was no official confirmation.

The signed agreement calls for the release of at least 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners and a four-day pause in fighting, as well as increased aid to Gaza.

The second group of hostages was supposed to be released at 16:00, but by this time the process had not begun.

Background:

• On November 24, a four-day truce began between Israel and Hamas militants.
• On the evening of November 24, the first 13 Israeli hostages, accompanied by employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross, left the Gaza Strip through the Rafah checkpoint.
• Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that intense fighting in the Middle East will continue for at least two months after a temporary truce.