Both Hamas and the Israeli army announced late Saturday night that the hostages had been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Qatari sources said 13 Israeli hostages – eight children and five women – and seven foreign hostages were on their way to the Egyptian border. An Egyptian government source also confirmed the disclosure.
Just hours before the hostages were scheduled to be released at 3pm CET, Hamas surprisingly halted the handover at the last minute. The reason given by the terrorist organization was that, in its opinion, Israel had violated part of the hostage agreement. Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, accused Israel of not allowing enough aid to be delivered to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
Portal/Portal Tv It is already dark when SUVs carrying the freedmen head towards Israel
Tug of war for agreements
It was unclear whether this provision 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.
More hostages will be released
As part of the agreed four-day ceasefire that began on Friday, more hostages held by Hamas will be released on Saturday. But its launch was postponed. Hamas justified this by saying that Israel had violated part of the agreement.
Al-Qassam Brigades also stated that 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. In exchange for the release of the 13 Israeli hostages, 39 Palestinian prisoners would be released on Saturday night. According to Hamas, among them are six women and 33 young men under the age of 19.
Israel issued an ultimatum
According to media reports, Israel has already threatened to resume the offensive in the Gaza Strip if the hostages kidnapped by Hamas are not released by midnight. There is currently no official confirmation of the deadline.
“Hamas is aware that the Israeli military will continue the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip if the hostages are not released by midnight,” said an Israeli security official, according to the online portal ynet. According to the report, he also accused Hamas of having played “the same game” the day before: the travel route and transport of the hostages were changed at short notice.
ORF Wildner correspondent on hostage exchange
ORF correspondent Nikolaus Wildner reports on the delay in releasing more hostages in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated for the release of all hostages in the Gaza Strip. They gathered in central Tel Aviv that night with Israeli flags and protest signs. One banner read: “No victory until the last hostage.” Organizers estimated the number of participants at 100,000. There were also protests in Jerusalem.
Portal/Alexander Ermochenko Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated for the release of all hostages in the Gaza Strip
Qatar negotiator in Israel
Egyptian negotiators 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 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 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.