According to Israel, two more individuals who were being held hostage by Hamas have been released, and more releases are anticipated as the cease-fire remains in effect.
result of German mediation
Israel announced that two additional Israeli hostages were freed on Thursday, thanks to the efforts of German mediation.short-term truce deal
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the dominant militant group in the Gaza Strip, is approaching its one-week anniversary in the Palestinian region.
The Israel Defense Forces have announced that the two Israeli hostages were taken to the Red Cross and subsequently flew to Israel on Thursday. The military also stated that more hostages will be handed over to the aid group in the coming hours.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has named the two freed Israelis as Mia Schem, 21, and Amit Soussana, 40.
Schem, a woman of French and Israeli descent, made an appearance in.
a disturbing promotional video
In October, Hamas released footage showing a young girl with an injured right arm. The girl’s mother, Karen Schem, expressed her distress to CBS News, saying, “It’s heartbreaking to see my daughter in such physical pain.”
The government of Qatar has declared an extension of the temporary truce in Gaza for another 24 hours, making it the seventh day in a row. The announcement was made shortly before the cease-fire was due to end, and comes after a previous prolongation of the break in hostilities.
The truce commenced on Friday and was originally planned to endure for four days. It was arranged by mediator Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, and has brought about the first pause in hostilities since Israel initiated the war against Hamas and launched airstrikes on Gaza following the militants’ attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in an alleged death toll of 1,200. The foundation of the ceasefire is Hamas’ promise to release female and child hostages in Gaza and Israel’s pledge to release Palestinians held in Israeli jails in exchange.
Hamas has released dozens of hostages to Israel and over 100 Palestinians have been released from prison as part of the ongoing deal. However, according to Israeli officials, there are still more than 100 individuals who were taken from Israel on October 7th that are still being held captive.
When questioned about the number of hostages currently being held in Gaza who were still living on Thursday, Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad stated to foreign correspondent Holly Williams of CBS News, “I am not aware.”
Hamad stated that the specific number was not significant and emphasized that they are still in the process of releasing the civilians.
Hamad informed Williams that Hamas desires a lasting end to hostilities in Gaza, which has suffered significant damage from Israeli airstrikes. According to Hamas officials, the death toll has surpassed 15,000 Palestinians. Hamas has expressed willingness to release male hostages, including Israeli soldiers, if the cease-fire is prolonged. As part of their arrangement, Israel has released approximately three Palestinian prisoners for every hostage freed by Hamas, with all those released thus far being women and children.
On Thursday, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials from Israel and Palestine. This was his third visit to the region since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict. According to the Associated Press, Blinken expressed his desire for the cease-fire to be prolonged and for more hostages to be released.
According to the AP, he stated that this procedure is yielding outcomes and it is significant. We have high hopes for its continuation.
On Thursday, Blinken had a meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah. According to Blinken’s spokesperson, Matthew Miller, they talked about ways to speed up the distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza, including utilizing humanitarian breaks.
Thursday saw the most recent prolongation of the truce in Gaza, including the release of hostages by Hamas. This occurred in the midst of…eruptions of violence
Three individuals were fatally shot at a busy bus stop in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli authorities. Itamar Gen-Gvir, Israel’s National Security Minister, quickly pointed the finger at Hamas for carrying out the attack. The two assailants were reportedly killed by Israeli soldiers at the location.
According to BBC News, Gavir, a member of Netanyahu’s far-right cabinet, referred to the individuals involved in the shooting as Hamas members who are speaking with conflicting messages – one promoting a cease-fire and the other promoting terror. He made these remarks while speaking to reporters at the location of the incident.
Hamas and the Al-Qassam Brigades, the militant arm of the organization, claimed responsibility for the attack on Thursday, stating that it was a reaction to Israel’s ongoing occupation crimes. This statement referenced Israel’s recent military actions in Gaza, the death of two children in the West Bank on Wednesday, and the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
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Source: cbsnews.com