Hamas released eight hostages on Thursday. This only guarantees military detente to a limited extent. The Israeli army says it is ready to resume the battle with the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip ‘at any time’.
“We are ready to attack at any time, including tonight,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari said Thursday. He said another six Israeli hostages were handed over to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip late in the evening.
This means that eight people were released on Thursday, which is two too few according to the ceasefire. Qatari Foreign Minister Majed Al Ansari said on Platform X that everything was going according to the rules. The terrorist organization also released two Russians on Wednesday; they are now part of the final exchange.
Hamas wants to extend the ceasefire
According to Israeli information, their release was never negotiated. Accordingly, Hamas is deemed to have breached the agreement. Insiders report that the terrorist organization would be very interested in an extension of the ceasefire.
The mediators tried to broker another day of ceasefire and then work towards an extension of a few days, the AFP news agency learned from Hamas circles.
The names of the hostages released Thursday:
Under the war opponents’ initial agreement, the ceasefire could be extended for up to 10 days to allow for the continued release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Because the ceasefire came into effect on Friday morning, it could in principle last until Monday morning. However, it was unclear whether Hamas would be able and willing to release ten additional hostages each day, as Israel demanded.
Hostages spread widely?
By late afternoon, Hamas had already released two Israeli hostages. However, the transfer was postponed. According to Israeli media reports, one reason for the delay could be that the hostages are being held in different locations in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, meanwhile, claimed that Israel refused to accept the bodies of three killed hostages as part of the deal. According to the information, the dead are a mother, her ten-month-old baby and a four-year-old son.
According to the terrorists’ military wing, they were killed in an Israeli attack. Hagari said in the evening that there was still no confirmation of the deaths of the three hostages.
“Psychological Terror”
Hagari called a video released by Hamas that evening showing the children’s father, who was also kidnapped, “psychological terror.” It was initially unclear when and under what circumstances the video was made.
Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they were ready to resume and expand military action against Israel if fighting broke out again in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
