Hamas set to exchange more hostages for Palestinian prisoners

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP):

Hamas was preparing to release more than a dozen hostages today for several dozen Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, part of an exchange on the second day of a cease-fire that has allowed critical humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and given civilians their first respite after seven weeks of war.

While uncertainty remained around the details of the exchange, there was optimism, too, amid the scenes of joyous families reuniting on both sides. On the first day of the four-day cease-fire, Hamas released 24 of the about 240 hostages taken during its October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison. Those freed in Gaza were 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and a Filipino.

Earlier today, Hamas provided mediators Egypt and Qatar with a list of 14 hostages to be released, and it has been passed to Israel, according to an Egyptian official speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to talk about details of the ongoing negotiations. The details were confirmed by a second Egyptian official, who also wanted to remain anonymous. The head of Egypt’s government press office and the state-run Qahera news outlet said 13 hostages would be exchanged for 39 prisoners.

Under the truce agreement, Hamas will release one Israeli hostage for every three prisoners freed. Israel’s Prison Service said it was preparing 42 prisoners for release. It was not immediately clear how many non-Israeli captives may also be released.

Overall, Hamas is to release at least 50 Israeli hostages and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners during the four-day truce, all women and minors.

Israel has said the truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed — something United States of America’s President Joe Biden said he hoped would occur.

Separately, a Qatari delegation arrived in Israel today to coordinate with parties on the ground and “ensure the deal continues to move smoothly,” according to a diplomat briefed on the visit.

The start of the truce yesterday morning brought the first quiet for 2.3 million Palestinians reeling from relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed thousands, driven three-quarters of the population from their homes and levelled residential areas. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel went silent as well.

For Emad Abu Hajer, a resident of the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza City area, the pause meant he could again search through the rubble of his home, which was flattened in an Israeli attack last week.

He found the bodies of a cousin and nephew, bringing the death toll in the attack to 19. With his sister and two other relatives still missing, he resumed his digging today.

“We want to find and bury them in dignity,” he said.

The United Nations said the pause enabled it to scale up the delivery of food, water, and medicine to the largest volume since the resumption of aid convoys on October 21. It was also able to deliver 129,000 litres (34,078 gallons) of fuel – just over 10 per cent of the daily pre-war volume – as well as cooking gas, a first since the war began.