After the release of a second group of hostages from the Islamist Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, more hostages are to be released from the Gaza Strip this Sunday.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced early in the morning that a list had been received with the names of other hostages who were to be released. It was not announced how many hostages there were. The Red Cross had brought 13 Israelis and four Thai citizens from the Gaza Strip to neighboring Egypt the evening before.
More German dual nationals released
These include four German dual nationals and a nine-year-old Irish girl who was initially thought to be dead. Meanwhile, on the streets of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, 39 Palestinian prisoners whom Israel released from prisons in return were greeted with cheers from crowds. Hamas flags were waved, as the newspaper “The Times of Israel” reported early on Sunday and linked a corresponding video.
According to their families, the four Germans who were released were a 67-year-old woman and her 38-year-old daughter and her children aged 3 and 8. “I’m thinking of them and of those who are still in the hands of Hamas. We are working with all our might to ensure that they too will soon be free,” wrote Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday night on the X platform, formerly Twitter .
Four German-Israelis were released on Friday as part of a group of 24 hostages.
This means that around 200 hostages are still in the hands of Hamas. The currently ongoing break in fighting is expected to last at least four days. According to the agreement between Israel and Hamas, a total of 50 hostages are to be released during this period. An extension of the ceasefire to up to ten days is possible, as the Gulf Emirate of Qatar, which is mediating in the conflict, announced.
Qatar’s Foreign Minister: Hope for an extension of the ceasefire
It is hoped that the momentum created by the releases of the past two days and the agreed ceasefire “will enable us to extend the ceasefire beyond these four days and thus have more serious discussions about the remaining hostages,” he said Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari told US television channel CNN.
Qatar will also work with partners in Egypt, the United States and both parties to the conflict to ensure that the agreed amount of aid can reach the Gaza Strip, Al-Ansari told the broadcaster, as CNN reported on Sunday night. According to Israeli media reports last week, the deal allows 300 trucks carrying food, medical supplies and fuel to enter Gaza.
Steinmeier expected in Israel
Meanwhile, the two highest representatives of the German state – Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) – are expected to pay a solidarity visit to Israel on Sunday.
US President mediates in the conflict
Just a few hours before the release of the second group of hostages, Hamas surprisingly stopped a handover at the last minute. The reason given by the terrorist organization was that, in its view, Israel had violated part of the hostage deal. Among other things, she accused Israel of not allowing sufficient aid deliveries to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Israel rejected this and threatened to terminate the agreement.
US President Joe Biden then intervened personally, as a spokeswoman for the US government’s National Security Council said upon request. The 81-year-old spoke on the phone with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. In the end, Hamas gave in after Qatar intervened late on Saturday evening.
Girl believed dead is released
As a result, after 50 days of captivity, a nine-year-old Irish girl who was initially thought to be dead was released. “We cannot find words to describe our feelings after 50 difficult and complicated days. We are overjoyed to be able to hug Emily again,” said the family. Emily Hand had turned nine during her captivity, which was celebrated with a party in Dublin a week and a half ago. She was initially presumed dead after the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th.
In an emotional television interview, her father tearfully expressed his relief that she had not fallen into the hands of Hamas because that would have been “worse than death.” It was later said that his daughter might have been kidnapped as a hostage in the Gaza Strip. She was released on Saturday evening.
Palestinian prisoners celebrated with Hamas flags
The Palestinian prisoners released in return have been convicted or charged with terrorist offenses, Israeli army spokesman Doron Spielman said on Sunday night. The fact that the freed people were celebrated under the flags of Hamas shows what kind of people they are. “It is a shame that we are releasing them,” said the army spokesman.
According to Palestinian media, those released include six women and 33 male youths under the age of 19. On Saturday evening, dozens waited for release outside an Israeli prison north of Jerusalem.
According to Palestinian information, Israeli soldiers used tear gas and rubber bullets against those waiting. According to paramedics, four people were injured. According to the Times of Israel, among those released is a 38-year-old who exploded a gas bottle in her car at a checkpoint in the West Bank in 2015, injuring a police officer.
What will be important on Sunday
According to Israeli information, more hostages are expected to be released. On the same day, Federal President Steinmeier is expected to pay a solidarity visit to Israel.
