There had been uncertainty since Monday about whether Saturday’s hostage handover would take place. At the beginning of the week, Hamas announced that it was suspending the release of the abductees until further notice because Israel is not complying with the ceasefire agreement. According to the Palestinian movement, Israel does not allow entry into the Gaza Strip for construction machinery that would be used to remove rubble, or for RVs. On Thursday though Hamas announced that ceasefire brokers Qatar and Egypt had given it assurances that they would act to eliminate these problems. Hamas therefore stated that the handover will take place within the previously agreed upon dates.
Today, Hamas announced the names of the hostages it intends to release along with its ally, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Sagui Dekel-Chen, who also has American citizenship, Alexander Trufanov, who also has Russian citizenship, and Jair Horn, whose family, according to the press, comes from Argentina, should be freed.
Hamas also announced that Israel should release 369 Palestinian prisoners as part of Saturday’s exchange. Among them should be 36 people sentenced to life imprisonment.
Israel has threatened Hamas with renewed fighting if it does not release three more hostages on Saturday. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Thursday that Israeli army prepares to start fighting if three hostages are not released by Saturday noon local timeAFP wrote.
Who have they let go yet?
The cease-fire agreement, which came into effect on January 19, calls for a 42-day cessation of fighting, the release of 33 hostages held in the Gaza Strip and the release of hundreds of Palestinians from Israeli prisons. According to the press, the text of the agreement also includes a commitment to strengthen supplies to the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian situation has significantly worsened due to the conflict. In some areas, according to UN agencies, there was even a threat of famine.
As part of this agreement, Hamas has so far released 16 Israeli hostages and five Thais. Over 700 Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons.
The ceasefire interrupted the fighting that had been going on since last October. The conflict then triggered an attack by Hamas and its allies on Israeli territory in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip, during which, according to Israel, 1,200 people died. At least 48,239 people have been killed in the Israeli retaliatory offensive in the Gaza Strip, Hamas-controlled authorities announced Thursday.