By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL-The hostage exchange deal that was in the works for weeks has finally become a reality. On November 22, Israel and Hamas announced a four-day truce that will culminate in the release of 50 hostages being held by Hamas and 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel being freed. The 50 hostages to be released by Hamas will solely be women and children kidnapped on October 7 during a Hamas incursion near the Gaza border. The deal comes after much back and forth between Qatar, Hamas, Israel and the U.S. on the negotiation terms. Qatar, who brokered the negotiations had to initially deal with rejections by both Israel and Hamas. On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet approved the truce agreement, commenting that it was a “difficult decision but it’s a right decision.”
The Israeli Cabinet signing off on the deal was the last hurdle to overcome. Just a day ago, family members of the hostages met with Israeli officials to pressure them to get their loved ones released, urging Israel’s parliament MPs to put aside their all or nothing attitudes to get the hostages released. As a Hamas official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) “The resistance is committed to the truce as long as the occupation honors it.” Hamas had released a statement lauding the “humanitarian truce” that would also get 150 Palestinians released from Israeli jails. The deal also states that for every 10 additional hostages released, Israel will “pause” an extra day in its airstrikes. At issue in locating the rest of the hostages is finding out exactly who has them and where they are since news reports said Palestinian factions also took some hostages. It’s currently not known exactly how many hostages are actually alive either.
Negotiations involved a plethora of officials as well as three intelligence agencies – the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Israel’s Mossad and Egypt’s General Intelligence Service. Leaders from Doha, Cairo, Washington, Gaza and Israel also took part in the negotiations. Sources from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, a different resistance group that took part in the October 7 incursion, also told AFP that the truce includes a ceasefire on the ground and a pause in Israeli air operations over southern Gaza. U.S. President Biden told the press that he is “extraordinarily gratified that some of these brave souls…will be reunited with their families once this deal is fully implemented.” A senior U.S. official said that included in the hostage release is 3-year-old Abigail Mor Idan. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said: “The starting time of the pause will be announced within the next 24 hours and last for four days, subject to extension.” Israel said that during the pause, it will suspend all air, land and sea attacks on Gaza but cautioned that the agreement is not the end of the conflict.
Photo : AA
