2023-11-26 06:40:04
Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in “Hostage Square” to demand their immediate release, in Tel Aviv, November 25, 2023. LUCIEN LUNG / RIVA PRESS POUR “LE MONDE”
The trickle-down operation continues between Hamas and Israel, where the situation was confusing and distressing until the end, Saturday November 25. The second group of hostages, which was to be released by Hamas at 4 p.m., ultimately did not arrive before night at the three hospitals in central Israel where relatives had been waiting since the afternoon.
Read also: Live, Gaza: 13 Israeli hostages and 4 Thais were released in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners, announce Qatar and the Israeli army
This time, thirteen Israelis – eight minors and four women, almost all from Kibbutz Beeri – and four Thais were released by the Islamist organization, in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners, women and young people under the age of 19, detained in Ofer prison in Ramallah (West Bank). Whereas the day before, the process had been long but had gone smoothly, this time the enlargement almost failed.
The problems began in the morning, when Hamas criticized the Israelis for not respecting their commitments. The agreement concluded on November 22 between the Jewish state and the Islamist organization provided not only for exchanges of hostages for prisoners, but a four-day pause in the fighting and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
However, according to Hamas officials, the trucks carrying the aid – food, medicine, water and fuel, in particular – were not arriving at the expected pace. Hamas also criticized the profile of Palestinian women about to be released: according to them, the Israelis were planning to release people who had been locked up for only a few months, when the Islamist organization was asking for prisoners serving longer sentences.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Israel between relief and bitterness after the release of the first hostages in Gaza
Tuning mechanics out of order for several hours
The result was that the extremely complex mechanics of the agreement seemed to go haywire for several hours. After claiming that the hostage transfer was beginning, Hamas said it was delayed. For their part, the Israeli authorities suspended their official press releases, without explanation. It took the mediation of all the actors involved in the signing of the November 22 agreement to resolve this crisis which considerably increased tension in Israel, where the war cabinet ended up demanding a transfer of the hostages out of Gaza. before midnight.
The United States – Joe Biden is said to have called the Emir of Qatar –, Egypt and of course, Qatar, an essential link in this chain of talks, undoubtedly intervened to convince Hamas to keep its word. In the middle of the day, we even saw, something extraordinary, a private Qatari plane land in Israel, coming from Cyprus. According to Ehud Ya’ari, responsible for the Arab world on the Israeli channel Channel 12, one of the occupants of this jet was none other than Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, chairman of the board of directors of the BeIn media group and CEO of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
You have 30% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
#group #hostages #released #tense #day