Hamas postpones release of second group of Israeli hostages

Hamas' military wing said it had decided to postpone the release of the second group of Israeli hostages due to Israel's alleged failure to comply with the terms of the agreement.

Source: The Times of Israel

Details: Hamas said it was postponing the release of the hostages until Israel fulfils the terms of the agreement related to the entry of humanitarian aid lorries into the northern Gaza Strip, as well as due to Israel’s alleged failure to comply with the agreed standards for the release of prisoners.

At the same time, The Times of Israel reported that Israel had allowed 200 lorries to enter the Gaza Strip, as required by the agreement, and the Israeli military liaison group with the Palestinians, COGAT, reported earlier that 50 of these lorries had reached northern Gaza.

Earlier on Saturday, Taher al-Nono, a senior Hamas official, told Al Jazeera that Israel also failed to comply with the conditions for the release of Palestinian prisoners, whom Hamas insisted on releasing in a different order than that observed by Israel.

According to reports, an Israeli official stated that if the next group of Israeli hostages was not released by midnight, Israel would resume military operations in the Gaza Strip.

This statement was quoted by a number of Hebrew media outlets, but was not officially confirmed.

The signed agreement provides for the release of at least 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners and a four-day pause in hostilities, as well as increased aid to Gaza.

The second group of hostages was due to be released at 16:00, but the process has not yet begun.

Background: 

• On 24 November, a four-day ceasefire began between Israel and Hamas militants.
• On the evening of 24 November, the first 13 Israeli hostages, accompanied by the International Committee of the Red Cross, left the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.
• Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that intense fighting in the Middle East would continue for at least two months after the temporary ceasefire.

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