Hamas Confirms Second Release Of Israeli Hostages

The Palestinian militant group, Hamas, yesterday night confirmed that the second release of hostages under the truce agreement would go ahead.

In a statement, Hamas said it upholds appreciation to Egypt and Qatar for ensuring the continuation of the temporary truce with Israel.

Official spokesman of Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Majed Al-Ansari also confirmed that

13 Israeli hostages were to be released Saturday night.

Al-Ansari said the obstacles were overcome and several hostages would be released last night following an earlier delay.

He said: “After a delay in implementing the release of prisoners from both sides, the obstacles were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications with both sides. Tonight, 39 Palestinian women and children will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli hostages from Gaza.”

He said this will be in addition to the release of a further seven civilians, which is separate to the temporary truce agreement deal.

A senior Palestinian official close to the talks going on in Qatar told an international medium that the dispute on Saturday had been resolved.

The hostages were to be transferred yesterday night to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Thirteen Israeli hostages will be released and 39 Palestinians detainees will be released.

Seven foreign nationals held by Hamas in Gaza were also expected to be released.

Hamas earlier said it had decided to delay the second round of hostage releases until Israel was committed to letting aid trucks enter northern Gaza.

Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades added that the hostage releases would be delayed if Israel did not adhere to the agreed terms for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

In response, an Israeli military spokesman told French television channel BFM that Israel fully respected the truce.

Osama Hamdan, the Hamas representative in Lebanon, told the Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen TV channel that the suspension was due to violations of the truce committed by Israel “linked to aid (entering Gaza), in addition to shootings and the rising death toll … Some of (these violations) happened yesterday, and repeated today.”

The delay to release Israeli hostages was resolved following mediation with Egypt and Qatar.

Hamas had attacked Israel on October 7 killing 1,200 people, with about 240 taken hostage.

Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said more than 14,500 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory attacks. 

Hamas earlier yesterday announced it was delaying the release of further Israeli hostages. A statement by its military wing said Israel had broken the terms of the truce deal over aid deliveries to northern Gaza. Israel denied violating the truce agreement.

As part of the Qatar-brokered deal, Israel is prepared to release a group of Palestinian prisoners. It was the second day of a four-day pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Friday saw the release of 24 hostages – and 39 Palestinian prisoners.

A senior Hamas official told the BBC that the delay to the handover of the hostages yesterday evening was due to Israeli violations of the humanitarian truce agreement by preventing agreed-upon aid trucks from entering northern Gaza.

He said Israel allowed only three trucks out of 100 to reach northern Gaza. He also said Israel violated the ceasefire agreement by flying drones over southern Gaza.