Nov 25, 2023 at 8:20 PM Update: 36 minutes ago
The release of Israeli hostages will still happen tonight, several sources report. Hamas postponed the release of a second group of hostages on Saturday, because Israel would not adhere to the agreements. The disagreement was settled after mediation by Qatar and Egypt.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of mediator Qatar reports that thirteen Israeli hostages and seven foreign hostages are released. Israel, in turn, releases 39 Palestinians.
Of BBC received the same confirmation from a Palestinian official. The hostages will be handed over to the Red Cross later this evening.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that Hamas has also communicated confirmation of the agreement. Israel has not yet responded, but according to an official it will The Times of Israel has spoken, the country is “cautiously optimistic” that the release will be successful tonight. Referring to the release, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office reports on X that “the second phase is proceeding as planned.”
Earlier in the evening there was confusion everywhere. The armed branch of Hamas said it had postponed the second release of hostages. Another Hamas source had spoken to the French news agency just before the postponement became known AFP said that the hostages had already been handed over to the Red Cross. Also CNN said it had received such signals.
Hamas is said to have delayed the release out of dissatisfaction with the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip. Israel is said to be insufficiently committed to providing aid. There would not be enough trucks coming to the north of the Gaza Strip, Hamas claimed. The group also claimed that an Israeli drone flew over the Gaza Strip against agreements. Israel denies that.
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The conflict explained
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2023-11-25 19:20:06
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