Photo: Global Look Press/Keystone Press Agency/Ahmad Hasaballah
Israel and Hamas are close to an agreement to release the hostages, mostly women and children, only a few dozen Israelis. The Washington Post reported this on November 13, citing an Israeli source.
He said the deal could be announced in a few days if final details are agreed. The preliminary agreement calls for the release of Israeli women and children in groups at the same time as Palestinian women and youth held in Israeli prisons.
Israel wants to release all 100 women and children, but the initial number is likely to be lower, the source admitted, because Hamas is only willing to release 70 women and children.
The number of Palestinian women and youths who could be exchanged is unclear, but an Arab official said there are at least 120 people in prison.
The exchange would be accompanied by a temporary ceasefire that could last five days, the Israeli official said. This truce would allow Israeli prisoners to return safely to their homeland. It could also increase international aid to the population in the Gaza Strip and ease the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.
US President Joe Biden, in a telephone interview on Sunday, expressed Washington's strong support for the hostage release deal and expressed personal gratitude to Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, whose country acted as a mediator with Hamas, the newspaper reported.
Hamas is holding a total of 240 to 250 hostages, the source added. Most of them are Israeli citizens, some with dual citizenship. About 35 were Thais who were working in the country.
On 13 November, Al-Jazeera reported that Hamas was prepared to release up to 70 Israeli citizens held hostage in exchange for a five-day ceasefire. On the same day, EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said that the European Union intended to demand an immediate humanitarian pause from Israel in the Gaza Strip. The day before, Hamas had called for the 'immediate and unconditional release of all hostages'.
(Branches/RoZ)
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