Hamas and its allied group, Islamic Jihad, released 12 hostages on Tuesday, bringing the total number of freed individuals to 81 since the truce began on Friday.
Hamas and its allied group, Islamic Jihad, released 12 hostages on Tuesday, bringing the total number of freed hostages to 81 since the truce began on Friday.
Hamas and Israel were anticipated to release additional hostages and prisoners on Thursday, the final day of an extended six-day truce in the Gaza Strip conflict. The focus was on whether Qatar, acting as a mediator, could successfully negotiate another extension.
Israeli media, as per the prime minister’s office, reported that Hamas is expected to release a list of hostages on Wednesday. The prime minister’s office did not provide an immediate comment.
Israel has indicated the possibility of extending the truce if Hamas continues releasing at least 10 Israeli hostages daily. However, as there are fewer women and children still in captivity, maintaining the ceasefire beyond Wednesday may involve negotiations for the release of Israeli men, potentially for the first time.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad freed 12 hostages on Tuesday, contributing to a total of 81 hostages released since the truce began on Friday. Most of them have been Israeli women and children, along with some foreign citizens.
The captives, comprising 10 Israeli females and two Thai nationals, ranged in age from 17 to 84, including a mother-daughter duo. Following initial medical evaluations, they were transferred to Israeli hospitals to reunite with their families.
Shortly afterward, Israel released 30 Palestinians from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank and a detention center in Jerusalem. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Club reported that half of them were women, while the rest were teenage males. This increased the total number of Palestinians released during the truce to 180.
These hostages were part of around 240 individuals abducted by Hamas during an incursion into southern Israel on October 7, resulting in approximately 1,200 reported casualties. In retaliation, Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza, controlled by Hamas, have claimed the lives of over 15,000 Gazans, according to local health authorities.
Qatar, which facilitated indirect discussions between Hamas and Israel leading to the ceasefire, hosted meetings on Tuesday involving the spy chiefs from Israel’s Mossad and the United States’ CIA. They deliberated on potential terms for a new phase of the truce, exploring the release of male or military hostages by Hamas, not limited to women and children. The discussions also focused on achieving a longer-lasting ceasefire. Qatar consulted with Hamas beforehand to gauge their potential agreement. Meanwhile, the Israeli and Hamas authorities are internally considering the proposals discussed during the meeting. Additionally, foreign ministers of the Group of Seven nations issued a joint statement on Tuesday, urging an extension of the ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid.
About 159 hostages are still in Gaza. On Tuesday, the White House stated that this includes eight to nine Americans. U.S. national security spokesperson John Kirby expressed hope that Hamas would release more Americans, and the U.S. government intends to collaborate with Qatar to extend the pause in fighting.
“We aim to have all the hostages released. These pauses are crucial for achieving that,” Kirby informed reporters traveling on the president’s plane on Tuesday.
WARNING OF ADDITIONAL DEATHS DUE TO DISEASE IN GAZA
The truce has provided Gaza with its first relief after seven weeks of conflict and bombardment, resulting in much of the seaside enclave being reduced to rubble. Initially set to expire overnight into Tuesday, both sides agreed to extend the pause to facilitate the release of more people.
Due to Israel’s blockade, the healthcare system in Gaza has collapsed, particularly in the north where no hospitals are operational. The World Health Organization warns that more Gazans may soon succumb to diseases rather than bombings, as they lack access to medicines, vaccines, safe water, hygiene, and food.
Over two-thirds of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have lost their homes due to Israeli bombardments. Thousands of families are sleeping in makeshift shelters with only the belongings they could carry, facing shortages of food, fuel, and clean water.
“We are facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Simultaneously, we advocate for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages. However, a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza is urgently needed,” stated U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a Tuesday press briefing.
The short-term ceasefire has enabled approximately 800 aid trucks to access Gaza, and the initial one of three U.S. planes carrying humanitarian supplies for Gaza arrived in Egypt on Tuesday.
U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths was scheduled to journey to the Jordanian capital Amman on Wednesday to explore the possibility of opening the Kerem Shalom crossing for the entry of humanitarian aid from Israel into Gaza.
Situated at the meeting point of Israel, the Gaza Strip, and Egypt, the Kerem Shalom crossing facilitated over 60% of the aid reaching Gaza before the current conflict.
Presently, aid for Gaza is routed through the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border, originally designed for pedestrian crossings and not suitable for trucks.
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