As happened the previous day, the group of hostages would be handed over to officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Gaza Strip and then cross the border into Egypt. From there, after an initial medical examination, she would be taken by helicopter to Israel. But the hostages have not yet been handed over to the ICRC, Israeli authorities said on Saturday.
The hostages were expected to be handed over at around 15:00 CET. More than an hour later, Israeli media reported a “technical” delay. It is also said that there were last-minute negotiations over whether 13 or 14 hostages should be released. The office did not comment on the number or further details. It was unclear whether negotiations were also the reason for the delay. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said only that the list was being examined by security authorities.
Portal/Alexander Ermochenko People in Israel await the release of more hostages
Hamas accuses Israel of violating agreement
Hamas justified the postponement by saying that, in its opinion, Israel had violated part of the hostage agreement. She accused Israel of not allowing the provision of humanitarian aid to the northern part of the Gaza Strip as agreed. It was unclear whether this was actually part of the Qatar-brokered agreement between the two parties to the conflict.
Initially, there was always talk in Israel about making it possible to transport aid, such as food and fuel, to the south, where tens of thousands of Palestinians fled the fighting in the north. It was unclear how Israel would react to the delay.
Hamas’ military wing, the Essedin al-Qassam Brigades, also said Israel was not “adhering to agreed standards” in releasing prisoners. The agreement between Israel and Hamas stipulates that for every Israeli hostage three Palestinian prisoners must be released. Israel was expected to hand over 39 prisoners on Saturday – there was also talk of 42.
Qatar negotiator in Israel
Egyptian negotiators also speak of “positive signs” that the ceasefire, initially agreed for four days, could be extended for at least two days, as Portal reported on Saturday afternoon. An extension of the ceasefire for up to ten days is possible, as announced by the Gulf Emirate of Qatar, which is mediating the conflict.
The timing of the transfer was initially unclear for a long time on Saturday – a Qatari delegation that apparently landed in Israel to clarify the final details caused an uproar throughout the day. The delegation that arrived at Tel Aviv airport was part of Qatar’s “operations team” for the ongoing war in Gaza, a diplomat familiar with the matter confirmed, according to agency reports.
more on the subject
Urgently needed aid arrives in Gaza
Their task is to discuss the next steps in implementing the agreement with the conflicting parties – as well as with the mediators in Doha. The team must ensure that “the agreement continues to run smoothly and discuss further details of the ongoing agreement.”
Qatar, along with Egypt, is a central mediator between Israel and Hamas and has very good contacts with the Islamic terrorist organization Hamas – but does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. For this reason alone, the Israeli media spoke of an extremely rare visit.
Dozens of aid deliveries arrive in Gaza
On the second day of the ceasefire, more and more aid supplies were brought into the Gaza Strip. On Saturday morning, four trucks carrying fuel from Egypt passed through the Rafah border crossing into the Gaza Strip. Another four trucks were loaded with gas cylinders needed for cooking. According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, 50 trucks carrying food, water and medical supplies, as well as shelter equipment, were sent to northern Gaza.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, 196 trucks carrying aid supplies entered the Gaza Strip on Friday. Aid organizations also used the ceasefire to bring the injured and medical personnel to safety.
Photo series with 15 photos
APA/AFP/Jack Guez Doctors at checkpoint wait for hostages released by Hamas
Portal/Ammar Awad In exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas, Israel is releasing Palestinian prisoners
APA/AFP/Mahmud Hams As part of the ceasefire agreement, a significant expansion of humanitarian aid was also agreed
Portal/Portal Tv The hostages were expected to be met by trauma specialists and doctors, as well as soldiers, to ensure their safety.
Portal/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa It was already dark when several Red Cross SUVs carrying freed people passed through the Rafah border crossing
Portal/Portal Tv For some hostages held by the terrorist organization Hamas, their captivity ends after 49 days
Portal/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa Journalists and onlookers at the Rafah border crossing
Portal/Israel Defense Forces The army prepared everything: helicopters with special noise-cancelling headphones for the hostages
Portal/Israel Defense Forces Soft toys and pillows: Gym at Khazerim military base, where children and women receive primary care
Portal/Ammar Awad Ofer prison, from where Palestinian prisoners convicted of involvement in attacks are released
APA/AFP/Ahmad Gharabli A Red Cross bus used to transport Palestinian prisoners is parked in front of the Israeli prison
Portal/Alexander Ermochenko Israeli helicopter controls the border with the Gaza Strip
APA/AFP/Jaafar Ashtiyeh Israeli military vehicles in front of Ofer prison
Portal/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa An International Committee of the Red Cross convoy during the ceasefire
Portal/Amir Cohen Israeli soldiers look at a military convoy leaving Gaza
24 hostages brought to Israel on Friday
With the ceasefire between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas, the first group of hostages was released on Friday. A total of 24 people were brought to Israel. During the agreed four-day ceasefire, a total of 50 hostages will be released from Hamas control. Firstly, mothers, children and young men, as well as older women, should be freed, it was said.
Names and photos of the 13 Israeli hostages released on Friday were released on Friday night. They included a 34-year-old mother and her two daughters aged two and four, an 85-year-old woman and members of three generations of a family: a grandmother and her daughter and grandson. There were no men among the freed hostages.
Biden: “This is just the beginning”
US President Joe Biden expressed relief at the release of the first people released under the hostage deal, saying it was “just the beginning”. “Today’s release is the beginning of a process,” said the US President during a speech in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
In its role as “neutral mediator”, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) “will hand over the hostages held in Gaza for several days to the Israeli authorities and, ultimately, to their families, and will transfer the Palestinian detainees to the authorities in the West Bank “, he said in a statement from the ICRC.