Key takeaways:
- Hamas accused Israel of not complying with the terms of the four-day cease-fire deal
- Over three dozen Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli prisons on Friday
- The delay in the release of the second group of hostages was eventually resolved, and the hostages were released
On Saturday, a second group of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel was delayed for hours due to a last-minute snag. This release was part of a four-day cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, in which the Gaza militants had pledged to release 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
The delay came after Hamas accused Israel of not complying with the deal’s terms. Aid trucks were entering Gaza, Hamas had handed a list of more than a dozen hostages slated for release to mediators Qatar and Egypt, and Israel’s Prison Service had prepared a list of dozens of Palestinian prisoners for release.
On Friday, over three dozen Palestinian prisoners returned home to a hero’s welcome in the occupied West Bank following their release from Israeli prisons as part of the cease-fire deal. The procession of freed prisoners, some accused of minor offenses, was greeted by friends and family members in Balata, a Palestinian refugee camp in Nablus.
The delay in the release of the second group of hostages was eventually resolved, and the hostages were released. The cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas is expected to continue until Tuesday, and it is hoped that the remaining hostages will be released in the coming days.
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