Hamas is expected to release 13 Israeli hostages today in exchange for the release of 39 Palestinian prisoners, Olivier Rafovitz, a spokesman for the Israeli military, told French broadcaster BFMTV this afternoon.
Earlier today, Egyptian security sources said they had received from Hamas a list of the names of 14 hostages they will release today, on the second day of implementation of the agreement between Israel and the Palestinian movement which includes a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
In order to honor all parts of the agreement between Hamas and Israel, a small delegation from Qatar arrived in the area today to facilitate the exchange of hostages and prisoners and to maintain the ceasefire, Israeli media reported.
A Qatari private jet, carrying members of the Qatari delegation, landed earlier today at Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport. The aircraft had departed from Larnaca, Israel’s public Kan network reported.
A diplomat with knowledge of the visit confirmed the delegation’s arrival to the German news agency (dpa).
Sources with knowledge of the negotiations cited by the Haaretz newspaper said the Israeli side pressed for the release of 14 hostages today in exchange for 42 Palestinian prisoners. However, the negotiations failed and the second phase of the deal will go ahead with the planned release of 13 hostages from the Gaza Strip.
The process of freeing the second group of Israeli hostages was scheduled to begin today at 16:00. However, there appears to be a delay and the Israeli news network Channel 12 reported that the process will start at 17:00.
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Egypt speaks of “positive messages” from Israel and Hamas to extend the agreement
Egypt announced today that it has received positive messages from all parties for a possible extension of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip for a day or two.
THE Diaa Raswanthe head of Egypt’s State Intelligence Service (SIS) stressed in a statement that Cairo is holding extensive talks with all parties to reach an agreement to extend the four-day ceasefire, an extension that would “mean the release of more prisoners from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons”.
A Polish national among the hostages released yesterday, Poland says
A Polish national is among the hostages released from the Gaza Strip yesterday, Poland’s foreign ministry announced today.
“We welcome information on the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, which has allowed the release of the first group of hostages, including a Polish citizen, and increased humanitarian aid supplies to the enclave“, the ministry said in a statement.
“At the same time, Poland continues steadfastly to ask Israel to agree to the safe departure of other Polish nationals from the Gaza Strip“, adds the announcement.
Some of the hostages freed yesterday Friday have dual citizenship.
Source: News Beast
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