The Israeli military says Hamas began releasing 12 hostages from captivity in the Gaza Strip late Wednesday, as international mediators work to extend a cease-fire that’s just a few hours away from expiring. Israel is set to free some 30 Palestinian prisoners. The army said the first two hostages were transferred to Egypt late Wednesday. Ten others were expected to soon be freed. It was the sixth release of Israeli hostages under a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
Quick Read
- Hostage Release in Gaza: Hamas began releasing 12 Israeli hostages in Gaza, with international mediators working to extend a fragile cease-fire close to expiration.
- First Hostage Transfers: The first two hostages were transferred to Egypt, with ten more expected to be released shortly.
- Previous Releases Under Cease-Fire: This marks the sixth group of Israeli hostages released under the current cease-fire, during which Israel is set to free 30 Palestinian prisoners.
- Cease-Fire Extension Efforts: International mediators are striving to extend the cease-fire to allow more hostage releases.
- Cease-Fire Conditions: Israel agreed to extend the truce by one day for every ten hostages released by Hamas.
- Threat of Resumed Conflict: Israel warns of resuming the war to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza amid international pressure to prolong the truce.
- Hamas’ Continued Control in Gaza: Despite Israeli military efforts, Hamas maintains control in Gaza, evident in their negotiation capabilities and cease-fire enforcement.
- Casualty and Displacement Statistics: The war, triggered by a Hamas attack, has resulted in over 13,300 Palestinian and about 1,200 Israeli deaths.
- Further Hostage Releases Expected: The release of two Russian-Israeli women by Hamas is to be followed by more swaps, with Israel releasing 30 Palestinian prisoners.
- Israeli Prime Minister’s Statement: Benjamin Netanyahu asserts that Israel will resume fighting against Hamas after the hostage exchange phase.
- U.S. Involvement in Truce Negotiations: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to visit the region to advocate for extended truces and more hostage releases.
- Israeli Military Action in West Bank: Israeli troops killed two Palestinian boys in Jenin, with the military stating it responded to explosive attacks.
- Impact of Conflict on Gaza: Heavy bombardment and invasion have devastated Gaza, but Hamas remains in power, orchestrating negotiations and cease-fire compliance.
- Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: Most Gazans are displaced, facing supply shortages and the looming threat of renewed conflict.
- Potential Israeli Ground Invasion: An Israeli invasion of southern Gaza may escalate casualties and destruction, drawing international concern.
- U.S. Guidance to Israel: The Biden administration advises Israel on more precise military operations in potential southern Gaza offensives.
The Associated Press has the story:
Hamas begins to release 12 hostages from Gaza, Israel says
Newslooks- DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)
The Israeli military says Hamas began releasing 12 hostages from captivity in the Gaza Strip late Wednesday, as international mediators work to extend a cease-fire that’s just a few hours away from expiring. Israel is set to free some 30 Palestinian prisoners.
The army said the first two hostages were transferred to Egypt late Wednesday. Ten others were expected to soon be freed.
It was the sixth release of Israeli hostages under a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.
The cease-fire is set to expire early Thursday. International mediators were working to extend the truce by several days to allow further releases of hostages.
Israel has agreed to extend the truce by one day for every 10 militant-held hostages who are freed. The cease-fire, which was originally set to expire on Monday, has paused the deadliest fighting between Israel and Palestinians in decades.
However, Israel has vowed to resume the war in an effort to end Hamas’ 16-year rule of Gaza, but it’s facing mounting international pressure to extend the truce and spare southern Gaza a devastating ground offensive like the one that has demolished much of the north.
Hamas’ ability to negotiate and implement the cease-fire suggests that Israel’s air and ground campaigns have not seriously challenged the group’s control of Gaza, despite killing thousands of Palestinians and driving three out of four people in the territory from their homes.
Roughly 240 hostages were captured by Hamas in its Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel that ignited the war. More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza. About 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial incursion by Hamas.
International mediators on Wednesday worked to extend the truce in Gaza, encouraging Hamas militants to keep freeing hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and further relief from Israel’s air and ground offensive. The cease-fire will otherwise end within a day.
Two Russian-Israeli women freed by Hamas entered Israel Wednesday evening, the military said. The release was expected to be followed by the swap of 10 more hostages in Gaza for 30 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Israel has welcomed the release of dozens of hostages in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives. Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored on Wednesday that Israel will resume its campaign to eliminate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for 16 years and orchestrated the deadly attack on Israel that triggered the war
“After this phase of returning our abductees is exhausted, will Israel return to fighting? So my answer is an unequivocal yes,” he said. “There is no way we are not going back to fighting until the end.”
He spoke ahead of a visit to the region planned this week by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press for further extensions of the truce and hostage releases.
In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed two Palestinian boys — an 8-year-old an a 15-year-old — during a raid on the town of Jenin, Palestinian health officials said. Security footage showed a group of boys in the street who start to run, except for one who falls to the ground, bleeding.
The Israeli military said its troops fired on people who threw explosives at them, but did not specify it was referring to the boys, who are not seen throwing anything. Separately, the military said its troops killed two Islamic Jihad militants during the raid.
Weeks of heavy bombardment and a ground invasion demolished vast swaths of Gaza and killed thousands of Palestinians. But it seems to have had little effect on Hamas’ rule, evidenced by its ability to conduct complex negotiations, enforce the cease-fire among other armed groups, and orchestrate the release of hostages. Hamas leaders, including Yehya Sinwar, have likely relocated to the south.
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are now crammed into southern Gaza, with some three-quarters of them driven from their homes. The truce has led to a frenzied rush to obtain supplies to feed their families as aid enters in greater, but still insufficient, amounts. Hanging over everyone is the fear that fighting will soon resume.
An Israeli ground invasion of the south will likely bring an escalating cost in Palestinian lives and destruction that the United States, Israel’s main ally, could be unwilling to bear.
The Biden administration has told Israel that if it launches an offensive in the south, it must operate with far greater precision.
“How far both sides will be prepared to go in trading hostages and prisoners for the pause is about to be tested, but the pressures and incentives for both to stick with it are at the moment stronger than the incentives to go back to war,” Martin Indyk, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, wrote on X.
