Hamas has handed over 13 Israeli captives and 4 international nationals to the Worldwide Committee of the Purple Cross (ICRC) after a delay of a number of hours because the group claimed that Israel had violated the phrases of a truce.
The deadlock was resolved following mediation by Qatar and Egypt on Saturday, the second day of the pause in hostilities within the Israel-Palestinian battle.
Israel is now anticipated to launch 39 Palestinian prisoners from its jails.
Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs, mentioned in a submit on X that 13 Israelis and 4 international nationals had been handed over to the ICRC.
They have been on their approach to the Rafah border crossing between southern Gaza and Egypt earlier than travelling to Israel.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari up to date that 13 Israeli captives and 4 Thai nationals have been with the ICRC and have been on their approach to the border crossing often called Kerem Shalom, or Karam Abu Salem.
The convoy “returning to Israel” is making its method by way of Egyptian territory, he mentioned.
Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reporting from East Jerusalem, mentioned the Israeli navy confirmed “just moments ago” that Hamas had handed over the captives to the ICRC.
“They will then be handed over to the Israeli military. They will be taken to an airbase in southern Israel for an initial check where they will then be flown to several different hospitals throughout the Tel Aviv area for additional medical and psychological checks,” she mentioned.
![International Red Cross vehicles reportedly carrying captives released by Hamas cross the Rafah border point in Gaza on the way to Egypt. [Screengrab/AJE TV]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Screenshot-2023-11-26-at-3.08.07-AM-1700948348.png?resize=770%2C458)
Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan had mentioned earlier that the help deliveries permitted by Israel had fallen in need of what had been promised and weren’t reaching northern Gaza, which was the goal of Israel’s offensive.
Solely 65 of 340 aid trucks that had entered Gaza since Friday had reached northern Gaza, which was “less than half of what Israel agreed on”, Hamdan mentioned from Beirut.
The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, earlier mentioned Israel had did not respect the phrases of the Palestinian prisoner launch.
Qadura Fares, the Palestinian commissioner for prisoners, mentioned Israel had not launched detainees by seniority, as was anticipated.
Israel has mentioned 50 vehicles with meals, water, shelter gear and medical provides had deployed to northern Gaza underneath United Nations supervision, the primary important support supply there because the begin of the struggle seven weeks in the past.
The row over the second swap of captives for prisoners quashed hopes after 13 Israeli ladies and youngsters have been freed by Hamas on Friday. Some 39 Palestinian women and teenagers have been launched from Israeli jails.
Israel’s navy spokesman, Daniel Hagari, mentioned the federal government was dedicated to complying with the truce settlement with Hamas however that there have been many events and elements concerned. “And every day brings with it its complexities,” he added.
Hagari pointed to the exceptional progress in efforts to launch the captives.
But, at least two Palestinians have been reported to have been killed by the Israeli navy and 11 wounded as they tried the journey to northern Gaza on Friday.
A lot of displaced individuals have been trying to return home across Gaza because the four-day truce brokered by Qatar took impact on Friday. Nonetheless, Israel has warned folks that they won’t be allowed to enter the north of the war-torn enclave.
Truce extension?
Earlier than the snag within the newest hostages-to-prisoners trade, Egypt, which controls the Rafah border crossing by way of which support provides have resumed into southern Gaza, mentioned it had acquired “positive signals” from all events over a doable extension to the pause in preventing.
Diaa Rashwan, the top of Egypt’s State Info Service (SIS), mentioned in an announcement that Cairo was holding intensive talks with all events to succeed in an settlement that might imply “the release of more detainees in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails”.
Israel has mentioned the truce could possibly be prolonged if Hamas continues to launch hostages at a price of not less than 10 per day. A Palestinian supply has mentioned as much as 100 hostages might go free.
For now, 50 of about 240 hostages are to be exchanged for 150 Palestinian prisoners over 4 days underneath the truce, the primary halt in preventing since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 individuals.
Israel has pledged to destroy Hamas, raining bombs and shells on the enclave and launching a floor offensive within the north. Israel’s relentless bombardment has killed greater than 14,800 individuals, roughly 40 p.c of them youngsters, Palestinian well being authorities mentioned on Saturday.
