- The release of hostages in Gaza is not expected to occur before Friday.
- Proposed agreement: 150 Palestinian women and teenagers detained in Israeli jails will be released.
- The additional delay only makes the suffering of Israel‘s more than 200 hostages worse.
According to a senior Israeli official, the release of hostages in Gaza is not expected to occur before Friday. An Israeli government source informed the BBC that the fighting halt scheduled for Thursday has also been postponed.
According to the proposed agreement, 150 Palestinian women and teenagers detained in Israeli jails will be released, along with 50 Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to win “absolute victory” over Hamas, and Israel is still conducting air and ground operations in Gaza.
Hostages in Gaza
After Hamas militants crossed the border on October 7 and killed 1,200 people while holding approximately 240 others hostage, Israel launched an attack on Gaza. Israel’s campaign has claimed the lives of over 14,000 people, including over 5,000 children, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which is run by Hamas.
The additional delay only makes the suffering of Israel’s more than 200 hostages worse. Families of Palestinian prisoners are still waiting to find out which of the 300 prisoners on Israel’s list of detainees might be released.
Over the course of four days, at least ten Israeli captives—all of them women and children—are anticipated to be freed at least fifty times. The fighting could then be suspended indefinitely, provided that more hostages are released.
The fierce fighting in Gaza has persisted throughout the night without a truce being in place. While relief organizations are prepared to send more food, fuel, and medical supplies to Gaza, they maintain that a brief ceasefire will not be enough to alleviate the situation.
Many of the hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators who gathered in Melbourne’s downtown earlier today held up a large flag in the shape of a watermelon. The fruit is a representation of Palestinian unity since it sports the colors of the Palestinian flag.
According to some relatives of the hostages, there is hope thanks to the agreement between Israel and Hamas, but they are cautious about their optimism.
