Hamas, Israel agree to deal for release of 50 hostages in exchange for 4-day truce - The Straits Times

Release to begin on Thursday

Three Americans, including a 3-year-old girl whose parents were among those killed during the Oct 7 attack, are expected to be among the hostages to be released, a senior US official said.

In addition to Israeli citizens, more than half the hostages hold foreign and dual citizenship from some 40 countries. These include Thailand, Britain, France, Argentina and Chile, Israel’s government has said.

Israeli media said the first release of hostages is expected on Nov 23.

Implementing the deal must wait for 24 hours to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, reports said.

Ms Kamelia Hoter Ishay, the grandmother of 13-year-old Gali Tarshansky, who is believed to be held in Gaza, said she would not believe reports of a deal until she gets a call that the teenager was freed.

“And then I’ll know that it’s really over and I can breathe a sigh of relief and say that’s it, it’s over,” she said.

Mr Qadura Fares, head of the Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs in the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, told Reuters that among more than 7,800 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel were about 85 women and 350 minors.

Most were detained without charges or for incidents such as hurling rocks at Israeli soldiers, not for launching militant attacks, he said.

Qatar’s chief negotiator in ceasefire talks, Minister of State at the Foreign Ministry Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, told Reuters that the International Committee of the Red Cross would be working inside Gaza to facilitate the hostages’ release.

He said the truce means there would be “no attack whatsoever. No military movements, no expansion, nothing”.

Mr Al-Khulaifi added that Qatar hopes the deal “will be a seed to a bigger agreement and a permanent cease of fire. And that’s our intention”.

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2023-11-22 05:20:00Z
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