Nov 28, 2023 at 8:58 PM Update: 4 hours ago
NU.nl regularly gives you an overview of the situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. In this overview: Israeli hostages were released on Tuesday evening for the fifth time in a row. Qatar is discussing a second extension of the current ceasefire.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, Israeli hostages were handed over to the International Red Cross by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Israeli army, this concerns ten Israeli hostages, including an 84-year-old. Two foreign hostages have also been handed over by Hamas.
Their release is part of the exchange of prisoners and hostages between Israel and the Palestinian movement Hamas. Thirty Palestinians will also be released from Israeli prisons on Tuesday. This concerns fifteen women and fifteen minors.
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American-Israeli consultations with Qatar and Egypt
The exchange began on Friday when a truce came into effect. It has now been extended for two days until 6:00 am on Thursday morning (Dutch time). Another extension of the truce and more releases are currently being discussed in Doha by the main mediator Qatar and by Israel, the US and Egypt.
The leaders of the American intelligence service CIA, William Burns, the Israeli agency Mossad, David Barnea and the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim al-Thani, are involved in the talks. The head of the Egyptian secret service is according to news channel Al Jazeera also settled in Qatar.
Egyptian media report that there is an agreement in principle for an extension of the ceasefire for another two days. Israeli media is taking a more cautious stance and to write that Israel is interested in an extension.
There has not yet been an agreement on a further extension of the ceasefire, but there is already talk in Israeli circles of “a next phase of the agreement”. Photo: Getty Images
Israel wants bodies of dead soldiers back
Qatar, Israel, the US and Egypt are also said to be discussing whether other hostages or prisoners could be released.
For the time being, only women and minors are eligible. It would be discussed whether other people would be eligible for release, such as the elderly and Israeli soldiers. The military would include female soldiers and reservists who are civilians in normal life.
The transfer of remains would also be on the agenda. According to the Israeli army, Hamas fighters took the bodies of three dead Israeli soldiers during the October 7 attacks around the Gaza Strip.
Releases despite accusations on both sides
Hamas and the Israeli forces accused each other on Tuesday of ceasefire violations in the north of the Gaza Strip. There was said to have been a shooting and explosions. According to the Israelis, explosives exploded when Israeli soldiers passed by. According to a Palestinian version, Israeli soldiers first violated the truce.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resume the fight against Hamas.
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2023-11-28 19:58:00
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