Israel confirms hostage deal back on after Hamas delay

The second phase of the Gaza hostage deal appeared to move forward last Saturday night after a delay of at least five hours after Hamas announced that the deal was on hold.

Close to 9 p.m., Hamas stated that “the Islamic Resistance Movement Hams responded to the estimated Egyptian Qatari efforts that moved throughout the day to ensure the continuation of the temporary armistice agreement after transferring then in the commitment of the occupation to all the conditions stipulated in the agreement.”

It had earlier argued that not enough humanitarian aid had entered Gaza through the Egyptian crossing at Rafah and that Israel had not freed agreed-upon Palestinian prisoners based on seniority.

Qatari, Egyptian and Israeli officials had worked to save the deal.

The 13 hostages released from Hamas on Friday are currently in Red Cross custody inside Egypt, N12 reported citing an Israeli official. Another Israeli source stated that the list of the released hostages for the first day corresponds to those who are currently in Egypt.

The transfer was made in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Walla reported citing an Israeli official. This was after the IDF had completed its preparations for the reception of 13 hostages who were set to return to Israel on Friday, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. 

Additionally, 12 Thais will be released by Hamas in addition to the 13 released, according to Egypt's Communications Ministry. The negotiations between Hamas and the government of Thailand were conducted separately from the negotiations with Israel and through a different mediator - Iran, N12 reported. Thailand's Prime Minister confirmed their release.

It was previously reported that 23 Thai hostages will be released unconditionally by Hamas, mediated by Iran, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed from late Thursday.

The IDF worked in coordination with government ministries and other branches of the defense establishment to formulate a procedure to quickly bring back the hostages and provide the necessary care.

The released hostages will be brought to hospitals where they will meet their families. They will be released through the Rafah crossing into Egypt before being flown to Israel. The Egyptian Communications Ministry said that they are preparing for the hostages' release at the crossing, which includes the Thai hostages. Hebrew media reported. Shin Bet personnel are waiting for the hostages on the Egyptian side at the Rafah crossing who are supposed to verify their identities, Walla reported.

This procedure is designed to make sure that there are no gaps between what was agreed and who returned. There is no intention to interrogate anyone at this time.

The hostages released on Friday were reportedly held in the southern Gaza Strip, Walla reported citing an estimation made by an Israeli security source.

Israeli Prison Service commissioner Katy Perry arrived at the 'Damon' prison to observe the release of the prisoners, as part of the plan for the exchange of the hostages.

"This is our mission, for the sake of returning the hostages home, and we will do it to the best of our abilities," Perry said.

Walla reported, quoting Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, saying that "there will be a brief pause," during his meeting with his Italian counterpart. "And then we will continue to operate with full military force against Hamas. We will not stop until we achieve our goals - the destruction of Hamas and the return of all the hostages."

Israel Prison Service commissioner Katy Perry instructs IPS officers ahead of the release of Palestinian prisoners, November 24, 2023 (credit: ISRAEL PRISON SERVICE)

Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be in the Operations Directorate war room in HaKirya in Tel Aviv. The two Israeli leaders will closely monitor the management of the operation to bring the hostages from Hamas captivity to Israel.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and his military Sec.-Gen. Avi Gil.

Around the same time, a senior IDF Southern Command official stated that "any attempt to violate the ceasefire will be met with force," and instructed to formulate an orderly battle procedure for the continuation of the ground maneuver in Gaza and to prepare for the continuation of the fighting immediately after the end of the ceasefire, Walla reported.

American captives will not be part of the first group of hostages released

American citizens taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza will not be part of the first group of 13 hostages released on Friday afternoon, CNN reported citing an unnamed US official.

However, the United States "remains hopeful" Americans will be among the some 50 hostages set for release as part of the four-day ceasefire deal.

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.

The moment Israeli hostages held for 50 days in Gaza by Hamas finally begin crossing the border into Israel in a handoff with the Red Cross will be bittersweet for those families whose loved ones are not yet part of the hostage deal.

“We are very happy for those families whose loved ones will be coming home, but we are worried about those who are staying behind,” said Idan Baruch, whose younger brother Uriel Baruch, from Givon outside of Jerusalem, was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival in Re’im on October 7. “We had hoped to see a general agreement which would bring all of the hostages out, but the government has insisted that nobody will be left behind, and we have to trust in that. What can we do? We don’t make the decisions. So at least there will be those who will be released now, and we will be happy for them.”

The minimum that could have alleviated the fears of family members would have been to demand that Hamas release videos of every hostage as part of the agreement, he said.

“Just to show us videos – even two seconds – so that we can see that they are okay; we are not looking for more than that. That would help us keep our hopes up,” he said. “Even if we just get a sign of life, that he is okay, we will calm down. Part of our stress is that we are living with uncertainty.”

At a press conference on November 22, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that visits by the Red Cross to all the hostages had been negotiated as part of the agreement.

The decision to support the hostage deal with Hamas was “one of the hardest decisions I have ever made in the 40 years that I have served the country,” National Unity Party Minister Benny Gantz told the nation on Wednesday evening.

As a former chief of staff and defense minister, Gantz has undoubtedly faced numerous difficult life-and-death decisions. But this, he made clear, was unique. 

Yet, as difficult as the decision was, Gantz added, “I am convinced with all my heart that this is the right decision.”

Interestingly, he then used two principles of Jewish law to frame the decision. 

“Our commitment to bring the sons and daughters home is a combination of [the halachic principle] ‘a doubt does not remove a certainty’ and [the principle of] ‘anyone who sustains one soul from the Jewish people, the verse ascribes to him as if he sustained an entire world.’”

Jewish teachings, Gantz made clear, informed his decision to support the deal.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, as instructed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, summoned Belgium and Spain's Ambassadors for a reprimand in light of the comments made by their countries' leaders at the Rafah crossing today.

Cohen declared: "We condemn the false claims of the Prime Ministers of Spain and Belgium who give support to terrorism.

"Israel is acting according to international law and is fighting a murderous terrorist organization worse than ISIS that commits war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"We will resume fighting after the ceasefire until the elimination of Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip and the release of all the abductees."

Netanyahu said he strongly condemned the words of the Prime Ministers of Belgium and Spain for not placing full responsibility for the crimes against humanity committed by Hamas, who massacred Israeli citizens and used the Palestinians as human shields.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said during a visit to Rafah border crossing in Egypt that the current ceasefire in Gaza is not enough and that a permanent ceasefire was needed.

Combat between Israeli troops and Hamas terrorists halted on Friday for the first time in seven weeks in a temporary truce ahead of the planned release of Israeli hostages held by the terrorists in exchange for jailed Palestinians.

The 13 hostages released from Hamas on Friday are currently in Red Cross custody. The transfer was made in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Walla reported citing an Israeli official.

This was after the IDF had completed its preparations for the reception of 13 hostages who were set to return to Israel on Friday, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. 

Additionally, 12 Thais will be released by Hamas in addition to the 13 released, according to Egypt's Communications Ministry. The negotiations between Hamas and the government of Thailand were conducted separately from the negotiations with Israel and through a different mediator - Iran, N12 reported. Thailand's Prime Minister confirmed their release.

It was previously reported that 23 Thai hostages will be released unconditionally by Hamas, mediated by Iran, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed from late Thursday.

The IDF worked in coordination with government ministries and other branches of the defense establishment to formulate a procedure to quickly bring back the hostages and provide the necessary care.