Middle East - Israel: Hamas hands over six more hostages to the Red Cross
According to the Israeli military, the Islamist Hamas has handed over another group of hostages to the Red Cross. The army announced on Thursday evening that six Israelis had been kidnapped in the Gaza Strip. They are now on their way from Egypt to Israel. Two hostages had previously been taken to Israel separately. It was initially unclear whether further hostages were expected to be released. According to media reports, a total of ten Israeli hostages were originally due to be released by Hamas on Thursday.
In return, the release of three times as many Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails was planned for the evening. According to Palestinian reports, these were to be eight women and 22 young men under the age of 19. However, if Hamas only releases eight Israelis, the number of prisoners to be released could also be lower.
It was also unclear whether the ceasefire, which was due to end on Friday morning according to previous agreements, would be extended once again. According to unconfirmed reports, talks about an extension are taking place in the background.
According to the original agreement between the warring parties, the ceasefire could be extended for a maximum of up to ten days to allow for the further release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. As the ceasefire began on Friday morning, it could in principle last until Monday morning. However, it was unclear whether Hamas can and wants to release ten more hostages every day, as demanded by Israel.
The latest Gaza war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, committed by terrorists from the Gaza Strip on October 7 in Israel near the border. More than 1200 people were killed. Around 240 hostages were taken to Gaza, including several Germans.
Israel responded with massive air strikes, a blockade of the Gaza Strip and began a ground offensive at the end of October. According to Hamas, almost 15,000 people were killed in the process. More than 36,000 were injured. The figures cannot currently be independently verified.
Lesen Sie auch:
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) played a critical role in facilitating the handover of the hostages from Hamas to Israel, ensuring the safe passage of the Israeli civilians through Egypt.
- The conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip has resulted in widespread destruction and loss of life, with reports of over 1200 Palestinians and 240 hostages, including several Germans, killed.
- The Egyptian government acted as a mediator between Hamas and Israel, helping to broker a deal for the release of the hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
- The ongoing ceasefire in the Middle East, which began on Friday morning, is essential for allowing the safe release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners, as per the agreement between the warring parties.
- The military response from Israel to the hostage situation in Gaza Strip included massive air strikes, a blockade of the Gaza Strip, and a ground offensive, which aimed to disrupt Hamas' operations in the region.
- Humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross and other international aid agencies have been actively engaged in providing aid and support to the people in the Gaza Strip, who have been affected by the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Source: www.stern.de
