Negotiations are underway for the release of a dozen hostages held by Hamas, including 6 Americans, in exchange for a 3-day ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This was reported by a source close to Hamas. “The talks focus on the release of 12 hostages, half of them Americans, in exchange for a 3-day humanitarian pause to allow Hamas to release the hostages and give Egypt an extended period of time to provide humanitarian aid,” the source said. . . “There are disagreements about the period and in the north (of the Gaza Strip), which is the scene of extensive combat operations,” said the source. “Qatar is waiting for an Israeli response,” he added. Previously, another source briefed on the talks said Qatar is brokering talks in coordination with the United States to release “10 to 15 hostages in exchange for a 1-2 day ceasefire.”
Fighting has raged in Gaza for more than a month following a shocking Hamas attack on October 7 that killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 240 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. In Gaza, 10,569 people, again mostly civilians, were killed in Israel’s retaliatory military campaign, according to data from the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-controlled Strip. Qatar is involved in intense diplomatic activity to secure the release of those detained by Hamas, negotiating so far the release of 4 hostages, 2 Israelis and 2 Americans. “We reiterate that the only way” for the release of the hostages “is a global agreement for the total or partial exchange of prisoners”. The spokesman for the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, Abu Obeida, said this in a video message.
Source: IL Tempo
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
