KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli navy says Hamas has launched 13 Israelis and 4 foreigners, within the second spherical of swaps below a cease-fire deal.
The military stated Red Cross representatives transferred the freed hostages to Egypt late Saturday. They have been to be transferred to Israel later within the night.
Hamas delayed the discharge by a number of hours, accusing Israel of violating the phrases of a truce deal. The last-minute delay created a tense standoff however finally went by way of after worldwide mediation efforts.
Israel was to free 39 Palestinians later Saturday as a part of the deal.
Hamas captured some 240 hostages in an Oct. 7 assault that triggered the present struggle with Israel. A complete of fifty hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed in the course of the four-day truce.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows under.
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas agreed to launch 13 Israelis and 7 foreigners late Saturday in trade for 39 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, Qatari and Egyptian mediators stated, after the militant group delayed the second spherical of swaps for a number of hours and claimed that Israel had violated the phrases of a truce deal.
Close to midnight, Hamas stated it had handed over all 20 to the International Committee for the Red Cross. Red Cross autos have been later seen crossing into Egypt.
The last-minute delay had created a tense standoff on the second day of what’s meant to be a four-day cease-fire. By dusk, because the hostages ought to have emerged from Gaza, Hamas alleged that the help deliveries permitted by Israel fell in need of what was promised and that not sufficient of it was reaching northern Gaza — the main focus of Israel’s floor offensive and important fight zone. Hamas additionally stated not sufficient veteran prisoners have been freed within the first swap on Friday.
“This is putting the deal in danger,” Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official, stated in Beirut. But Egypt, Qatar and Hamas itself later stated obstacles had been overcome, and Hamas listed six ladies and 33 teenage boys it stated have been anticipated to be launched by the Israelis. Two ladies, Maysoun Jabali and Israa Jaabis, have been imprisoned in 2015 after being convicted of finishing up assaults on Israelis. Jaabis suffered extreme burns in the course of the incident.
While uncertainty round some particulars of the trade remained, there was some optimism, too, amid earlier scenes of joyous households reuniting on each side.
On the primary day of the cease-fire, Hamas launched 24 of the roughly 240 hostages taken throughout its Oct. 7 assault on Israel that triggered the struggle, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from jail. Those freed in Gaza have been 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and a Filipino.
Overall, Hamas is to launch a minimum of 50 Israeli hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners, in the course of the four-day truce — all ladies and minors.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”