Following a late-night war cabinet meeting, the Israeli government approved a deal with Hamas to secure the release of 50 hostages (women and children) held in Gaza: will be released during the four-day break in hostilities and The release of every 10 hostages will extend the pause in hostilities by one day. In return, Israel promises to release at least 150 Palestinian women and children from its prisons.
Structured to encourage the release of more versions
The deal was clearly structured to encourage further releases in the future. The agreement also provides for the entry of 300 trucks of aid per day into Gaza, and urgently needed fuel for hospital generators, water desalination and sewage only during the cessation of fighting.
The ceasefire does not mean the end of hostilities; A fragile agreement, but a first step. During the four-day pause, air traffic will come to a complete halt in southern Gaza and in northern Gaza for six hours a day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time.
“A difficult but right decision”
“It’s a difficult but right decision.” This is how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explains that the government gave the green light to the agreement regarding the release of 50 hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the October 7 attack. The first evacuations are expected to be 30 children, 8 mothers and 12 other women, and will likely begin as early as Thursday, November 23. Available figures show that for every hostage released, Israel will release 3 Palestinians currently detained.
The government’s yes to the deal is a result of the war cabinet giving the green light to the plan: Thus, the votes of 19 representatives of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and 5 representatives of Benny Gantz’s National Rally party were in favour. On the same side is the ultra-Orthodox party Shas, which has 6 votes. According to what he said channel 12The first hostages will be released starting tomorrow (Thursday, November 23). Women and children must be released in groups of 12 each day.
Joe Biden said he was “extraordinarily pleased” that some of the hostages who endured “weeks of captivity and indescribable ordeal” would be reunited with their families once the deal comes into effect. The US president thanked the leaders of Qatar and Egypt for their “leadership and critical partnership” in reaching the agreement.
Release in 5 stages
The Prime Ministry summarized the evacuation and transfer process. The protocol may be changed in the next few hours. As a first step, Hamas will hand over the hostages to the Red Cross. In the second stage, women and children will be taken to representatives of the Israel Defense Forces.
Then, in the third step, transfer to one of the five centers established to meet the families and initial health checks are planned. In the fourth phase, doctors and security guards will discuss whether any of the hostages have been heard. A fifth possible step would require at least some hostages to answer questions that would provide useful information.
Netanyahu: “The war continues”
In his speech after the meeting with the war cabinet and security cabinet, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the agreement was “a difficult decision, but the right one.” Addressing government ministers, Netanyahu added that US President Joe Biden had helped “improve the framework of the agreement presented to you… to include more hostages at a lower price.”
The Prime Minister imposes some limitations: “We are at war and the war will continue until all objectives are achieved. The return of the hostages is a priority and I am absolutely determined to achieve this goal. We will not stop until they are all returned.” “There are stages to the war, and there will be stages to the return of the hostages,” Netanyahu says.
The war started on October 7
Israel began attacking Gaza after Hamas fighters crossed the border on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostage. Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 14,000 people, including more than 5,000 children, have been killed in Israel’s sustained bombardment of the besieged territory.
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.