Gaza ‘truce’ holds as more hostages freed

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The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Hopes for sustained ceasefire soared to new highs in Gaza yesterday as Hamas late night confirmed the second release of hostages in a delayed second exchange agreed as part of a temporary truce in Gaza.

A total of 13 Israeli hostages are to be freed “tonight” for 39 Palestinian prisoners, mediator Qatar said. Seven foreigners held in Gaza will also be released, it added.

“After a delay, obstacles to release of prisoners were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian contacts with both sides, and 39 Palestinian civilians will be released tonight, while 13 Israeli hostages will leave Gaza in addition to 7 foreigners,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Hamas had earlier delayed the release of the group, accusing Israel of breaching the terms of the agreement regarding the delivery of humanitarian aid to the north of the Gaza Strip, and the selection of Palestinian prisoners for release.

It also accused Israeli troops of firing on people trying to cross from the southern part of the Gaza Strip to the north, which Israeli forces have forbidden.

In a second post, Ansari said the Israelis to be released from Gaza consisted of eight children and five women.

Those to be released from Israeli prisons comprised 33 children and six women, the spokesman said.

On the first day of a four-day humanitarian truce in Gaza, facilitated by Qatar with help from Egypt and the United States, 13 Israeli hostages were freed by Hamas Friday in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

 Hamas also freed 10 Thais and one Filipino. A total of 50 Israeli hostages are to be freed by Hamas in staggered releases over the four-day truce in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.