Hamas releases 13 Israeli captives after hours-long delay, Qatar confirms | Israel-Palestine battle Information

Hamas has handed over 13 Israeli captives and 4 international nationals to the Worldwide Committee of the Purple Cross (ICRC) after a delay of a number of hours because the group claimed that Israel had violated the phrases of a truce.

The deadlock was resolved following mediation by Qatar and Egypt on Saturday, the second day of the pause in hostilities within the Israel-Palestinian battle.

Israel is now anticipated to launch 39 Palestinian prisoners from its jails.

Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs, mentioned in a publish on X that 13 Israelis and 4 international nationals had been handed over to the ICRC.

They have been on their option to the Rafah border crossing between southern Gaza and Egypt earlier than travelling to Israel.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari up to date that 13 Israeli captives and 4 Thai nationals have been with the ICRC and have been on their option to the border crossing often called Kerem Shalom, or Karam Abu Salem.

The convoy “returning to Israel” is making its means by means of Egyptian territory, he mentioned.

Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reporting from East Jerusalem, mentioned the Israeli navy confirmed “simply moments in the past” that Hamas had handed over the captives to the ICRC.

“They’ll then be handed over to the Israeli navy. They are going to be taken to an airbase in southern Israel for an preliminary test the place they’ll then be flown to a number of completely different hospitals all through the Tel Aviv space for added medical and psychological checks,” she mentioned.

Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan had mentioned earlier that the help deliveries permitted by Israel had fallen wanting what had been promised and weren’t reaching northern Gaza, which was the goal of Israel’s offensive.

Solely 65 of 340 support vehicles that had entered Gaza since Friday had reached northern Gaza, which was “lower than half of what Israel agreed on”, Hamdan mentioned from Beirut.

The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, earlier mentioned Israel had didn’t respect the phrases of the Palestinian prisoner launch.

Qadura Fares, the Palestinian commissioner for prisoners, mentioned Israel had not launched detainees by seniority, as was anticipated.

Israel has mentioned 50 vehicles with meals, water, shelter tools and medical provides had deployed to northern Gaza below United Nations supervision, the primary vital support supply there because the begin of the battle seven weeks in the past.

The row over the second swap of captives for prisoners quashed hopes after 13 Israeli girls and kids have been freed by Hamas on Friday. Some 39 Palestinian girls and youngsters have been launched from Israeli jails.

Israel’s navy spokesman, Daniel Hagari, mentioned the federal government was dedicated to complying with the truce settlement with Hamas however that there have been many events and components concerned. “And on daily basis brings with it its complexities,” he added.

Hagari pointed to the outstanding progress in efforts to launch the captives.

But, no less than two Palestinians have been reported to have been killed by the Israeli navy and 11 wounded as they tried the journey to northern Gaza on Friday.

A lot of displaced individuals have been making an attempt to return dwelling throughout Gaza because the four-day truce brokered by Qatar took impact on Friday. Nevertheless, Israel has warned those that they won’t be allowed to enter the north of the war-torn enclave.

Truce extension?

Earlier than the snag within the newest hostages-to-prisoners alternate, Egypt, which controls the Rafah border crossing by means of which support provides have resumed into southern Gaza, mentioned it had obtained “constructive indicators” from all events over a doable extension to the pause in combating.

Diaa Rashwan, the pinnacle of Egypt’s State Data Service (SIS), mentioned in an announcement that Cairo was holding intensive talks with all events to achieve an settlement that may imply “the discharge of extra detainees in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails”.

Israel has mentioned the truce could possibly be prolonged if Hamas continues to launch hostages at a fee of no less than 10 per day. A Palestinian supply has mentioned as much as 100 hostages may go free.

For now, 50 of about 240 hostages are to be exchanged for 150 Palestinian prisoners over 4 days below the truce, the primary halt in combating since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 individuals.

Israel has pledged to destroy Hamas, raining bombs and shells on the enclave and launching a floor offensive within the north. Israel’s relentless bombardment has killed greater than 14,800 individuals, roughly 40 % of them youngsters, Palestinian well being authorities mentioned on Saturday.