The wait was unbearable for the families of hostages waiting to be released. On Saturday, November 25, the release of the second group of hostages held by Hamas was delayed by several hours: the terrorist organization accused Israel of not respecting the terms of the agreement, providing in particular for the release of a total of 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners, as well as a four-day truce to transport humanitarian aid to the north of the Gaza Strip.
On this last point, Hamas affirms that “the number of convoys transporting humanitarian aid to the north of the Gaza Strip is less than half of what Israel had committed to”, according to the daily Haaretz. The Islamist movement also calls for an end to Israeli army shooting on Gazans displaced to the south of the territory and who are now trying to return to their homes in the north.
Disagreement over prisoner exchange
The Israeli army considers the northern third of the Gaza Strip a combat zone closed to civilians and continues to urge all its inhabitants to leave it. According to the UN, “at least one person was killed and seven others injured” on Friday in Israeli army fire on people heading north. On Saturday, according to the Hamas health ministry, seven other people were shot and wounded in similar circumstances.
Also at the heart of the tensions: the terms of release of Palestinian prisoners incarcerated for a long time. Hamas is demanding that these women and young people under 19, released in exchange for the hostages, leave in order of seniority in detention. On Friday, detainees were released after short sentences, while others, in prison for years, are still waiting, noted Osama Hamdane, member of the Hamas political bureau.
Qatari mediation
Dissensions which raised fears of a failure of the truce agreements, obtained on Wednesday November 22 thanks to the mediation of the United States, Qatar and Egypt and even though the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar expressed the Hope that ceasefire in Gaza Strip will lead to complete cessation of fighting, notes Ynet.
On Saturday, a Qatari delegation arrived in Israel “to ensure coordination between the parties on the ground and their counterparts in Doha to ensure that the agreement continues to progress smoothly”, according to a Qatari official quoted by Haaretz. In a statement, Hamas said it had “responded positively to the Egyptian and Qatari efforts which lasted all day”. He specified that he had obtained from Israel a “commitment” to respect “all the conditions of the agreement”
17 hostages released on Saturday
Hamas finally released 17 people late Saturday evening. The Ezzedine al-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of the Islamist movement, released a video showing the 13 Israelis and four Thais getting into ICRC 4x4s shortly before midnight. All arrived in Israel shortly after, via Egypt. On the Israeli side, the hostages are isolated families and children, all kidnapped from Kibbutz Beeri, and a 21-year-old festival attendee.
These releases bring to 46 the total of released hostages, out of some 240 sequestered in Gaza since their kidnapping during the October 7 attack. Israeli army spokesperson Doron Spielman, for his part, spoke of a “delaying tactic” by Hamas as part of “psychological warfare”. Late in the evening, Israel announced that it had released a second group of 39 Palestinian prisoners, all women and young people under the age of 19, like the day before.