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☆ Hamas and Israel make hostages-prisoners swap during four-day Gaza truce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[4/30]Read moreHostages who were abducted by Hamas gunmen during the October 7 attack on Israel, are handed over by Hamas militants to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross, as part of a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel amid a temporary truce, in an unknown location in the Gaza Strip, in this screengrab taken from video released November 26, 2023. Hamas Military... UNKNOWN, PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Organizations: International Committee, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza

Hamas-affiliated media reported early on Tuesday that Israel freed 30 Palestinian children and three women, in the truce's fourth swap. Waving Palestinian, Hamas and Islamic Jihad flags, dozens of Palestinians gathered outside Israel's Ofer prison near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to await the release of additional Palestinians. Each day since the four-day truce began on Friday, Hamas has released some of the hostages while Israel has freed some of the Palestinians it holds. Under the terms of existing four-day truce agreement, Hamas was due to release in total 50 Israeli women and children held hostage in Gaza. It was not clear how many hostages would be released under the extended truce agreement, but earlier the head of Egypt's State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan, said the deal being negotiated would include the release of 20 Israeli hostages and 60 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Persons: Israel, Israel's Ofer, Gaza's, Alya Ahmed Saif Al, Thani, Antony Blinken, Diaa Rashwan, Arshad Mohammed, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: International Committee, West Bank, Gaza's Hamas, Security, Hamas, U.S, United, Egypt's, Information Service, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israel, CAIRO, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Ramallah, Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza truce, hostages and prisoners released
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

"This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily Hand and her family. An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief. Hand had been at a friend's house in the kibbutz of Be’eri when Hamas militants attacked on October 7. On Sunday, the Israeli military released video of Emily being reunited with her father, Thomas Hand, after she was freed with other Israeli hostages on Saturday. In an emotional reunion, Emily can be seen dashing toward her father and the two hug each other tightly.

Persons: Emily Hand, Thomas Hand, Leo Varadkar, Varadkar, Emily Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, Reuters Irish Locations: Israel, Irish, Be’eri, Gaza

"The released hostages are on their way to hospitals in Israel, where they will re-unite with their families," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. Israel released 39 Palestinians - six women and 33 minors - from two prisons, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Saturday's swap follows the previous day's initial release of 13 Israeli hostages, including children and the elderly, by Hamas in return for the release of 39 Palestinian women and young people from Israeli prisons. On Friday Hamas also released a Philippine national and 10 Thai farm workers. Israel has said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas continued to release at least 10 hostages a day.

Persons: Israel, WAFA, Srettha Thavisin, Thais, Thongkoon Onkaew, Natthaporn Onkaew, Joe Biden, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al, Osama Hamdan, Majed Al, Ansari, Maya Regev, Emily Hand, Hila Rotem, Emily, Raya Rotem, Shorouk Dwayyat, Emily Rose, Bassam Masoud, James Mackenzie, Maayan Lubell, Emma Farge, Aidan Lewis, Adam Makary, Nidal, Moaz Abd, Ali Sawafta, Sybille de La Hamaide, Jeff Mason, Humeyra Pamuk, Leslie Adler, Clarence Fernandez, William Mallard Organizations: Sunday, International Committee, Israel Defense Forces, West Bank, Hamas, Reuters, Brigades, IDF, United Nations, CNN, Al, Thomson Locations: Israel Egypt, Qatar, West Bank GAZA, JERUSALEM, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Palestinian, Rafah, Al, Bireh, Ramallah, Philippine, U.S, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Jazeera, Nantucket , Massachusetts

☆ 'Can't find words', Israeli families welcome second group of hostages
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Eli Berlzon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We can't find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days," her family said in a statement. "We are overjoyed to embrace Emily again, but at the same time, we remember Raya Rotem and all the hostages who have yet to return." You just can't imagine it, what they will do, if they will talk about it," said 10-year-old Talia, a friend of Emily Hand. Since then, Israel has vowed both to destroy Hamas and bring the hostages back home. Saturday's release of 13 hostages came after some six weeks of fighting as part of a deal to release 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Persons: Emily Hand, Hila Rotem, Emily's, Emily, Raya Rotem, Talia, Inbal Tzach, Adi Shoham, Be'eri, Nave, Tal, James Mackenzie, Leslie Adler Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, Qatari, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Be'eri

☆ Fragile Gaza truce is back on track after hours-long delay in hostage-for-prisoner swap
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In a separate development, Hamas announced Sunday that one of its top commanders had been killed, without saying when or how. The militants released 17 hostages, including 13 Israelis, while Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners. The war has already claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians killed by Hamas in the initial attack. More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Hamas is to release at least 50 Israeli hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners.

Persons: Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: International Committee, Sunday, Hamas, Health Ministry Locations: Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Egypt, Tel Aviv, United States

☆ Palestinian militants in West Bank say two 'collaborators' executed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A statement from the Tulkarm Brigades, a group based in the West Bank city of Tulkarm that is associated with the Fatah faction, said there was "no immunity for any informant or traitor". Footage shared on the Tulkarm Brigades Telegram channel showed a man apparently confessing to working with Israeli security services and providing details of his activities. The Tulkarm Brigades statement said anyone who had been working with Israeli security services had until Dec. 5 to come forward and repent. The Independent Commission for Human Rights, a Palestinian rights group, issued a statement criticising extrajudicial killings but said Israeli authorities were responsible for recruiting Palestinian agents. There was no comment from the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited governance in the West Bank, and no immediate comment from the Israeli security services.

Persons: Fatah, Ali Sawafta, James Mackenzie, Hugh Lawson Organizations: West Bank, Tulkarm Brigades, Reuters, Independent Commission, Human Rights, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: RAMALLAH, Gaza, Tulkarm, Israel

☆ Israeli hostages released by Hamas have undergone initial medical tests and are in good condition, says IDF
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hamas released 24 hostages as part of a deal with Israel. The hostages have undergone medical tests and are in good condition, an IDF spokesperson said. AdvertisementThe hostages released by Hamas have undergone initial medical tests and are in good condition, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said. Hamas released 13 Israelis and 11 foreigners, 10 from Thailand and one from the Philippines, on Friday as part of a negotiated four-day pause in fighting. The released hostages are being taken to the Hatzerim airbase for physical and mental checkups and to call their families, The Times of Israel reported.

Persons: —, Daniel Hagari, Hagari Organizations: Service, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli Air Force, Street, Cross, OF, Reuters Locations: Israel, Thailand, Philippines, Gaza, Qatar

☆ Biden hopeful about Israel-Hamas truce extension, US hostages release
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Jeff Mason | Thomson Reuters | Jeff Mason Is A White House Correspondent For Reuters. He Has Covered The Presidencies Of Barack Obama | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Asked whether the truce could be extended, Biden said: "I think the chances are real." Asked by a reporter what his expectations were, Biden said Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas was a legitimate but difficult mission. "I don't know how long it will take," Biden told reporters. Israel says the truce could be extended if more hostages are released at a rate of 10 per day. "I've encouraged the prime minister to focus on trying to reduce the number of casualties while he is attempting to eliminate Hamas, which is a legitimate objective," Biden told reporters.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, I've, Israel's, Tom Brenner, Abu Ubaida, Yoav Gallant, Israel, Jill, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jeff Mason, Kanishka Singh, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Leslie Adler, Grant McCool Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, West Bank, Israeli, Israel's, Thomson Locations: NANTUCKET, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, U.S, Nantucket , Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts, Nantucket

☆ Relief and Sadness for Palestinian Prisoners Freed in Gaza Hostage Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Ali SawaftaBEITUNIA, West Bank (Reuters) - For the families of Palestinian detainees freed by Israel under a hostage deal agreed with the Islamist group Hamas, Friday brought relief tinged with sadness at the fighting that is set to continue in Gaza after the expiry of a four-day truce. Israeli police were seen raiding her Jerusalem home before her daughter was released. "We are still afraid to feel happy and at the same time, we do not have it in us to be happy due to what is happening in Gaza," she said. More than 100 more Palestinian prisoners are due to be released over the coming four days and more may be freed if the truce is extended. In Beitunia, a city near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, a large crowd, mostly of young men, greeted freed prisoners by cheering, honking car horns and marching in the street carrying Palestinian flags.

Persons: Ali Sawafta BEITUNIA, Sawsan Bkeer, Marah Bkeer, Abu Ubaida, Laith Othman, Ismail Shaheen, Fatima, Shaheen, Yosri AlJamal, James Mackenzie, Daniel Wallis Organizations: West Bank, Reuters, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem

☆ Relief and sadness for Palestinian prisoners freed in Gaza hostage deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ali Sawafta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] People gather as released Palestinian prisoners leave the Israeli military prison, Ofer, after hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank November 24, 2023. Israeli police were seen raiding her Jerusalem home before her daughter was released. More than 100 more Palestinian prisoners are due to be released over the coming four days and more may be freed if the truce is extended. In Beitunia, a city near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, a large crowd, mostly of young men, greeted freed prisoners by cheering, honking car horns and marching in the street carrying Palestinian flags. Additional reporting by Yosri AlJamal; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ofer, Ammar Awad, Sawsan Bkeer, Marah Bkeer, Abu Ubaida, Laith Othman, Ismail Shaheen, Fatima, Shaheen, Yosri AlJamal, James Mackenzie, Daniel Wallis Organizations: West Bank, REUTERS, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Israel, Ramallah, West, Gaza, Qatar, Jerusalem, Bethlehem

☆ Mixed emotions as first group of Israeli hostages return from Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ari Rabinovitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"But I stress to you, the families, and to you, citizens of Israel: We are committed to bringing back all our hostages." As well as the Israeli hostages, 10 Thais and one Filipino, who were taken captive at the same time, were also freed under a separate agreement, Qatari mediators said. The military said the released hostages had undergone initial medical checks inside Israel and would be taken to hospitals where they would be reunited with their families. The rest of a group of at least 50 Israeli hostages due to be exchanged under a Qatari-brokered agreement are expected to be freed in the coming days and more hostages could be added if the truce deal is extended. The military campaign has killed around 14,000 Palestinians, according to medical authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza and reduced much of Gaza to rubble.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Corinne Moshe, Adina Moshe, Al Qahera, Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israel's Kan, Erez, Shelly Shem Tov, Omer Shem Tov, Omer, Ari Rabinovitch, Henriette Chacar, Andrew Heavens, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Qatari, Reuters, Israel's, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt

☆ Palestinians say 24 women, 15 teenaged males to be freed from Israeli jails
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Israel will on Friday release 39 Palestinians prisoners, among them 24 women and 15 teenaged males, in the occupied West Bank in exchange for 13 hostages due to be freed from the Gaza Strip by Hamas, a Palestinian official said. The inmates, all of them from the occupied West Bank or Jerusalem, will be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Israel's Ofer military jail around 4 p.m. (1400 GMT), said Qadura Fares, Palestinian commissioner for prisoners. That would coincide with the planned handover at the Gaza-Egypt border of 13 women and children who were among some 240 people taken hostage by Hamas gunmen during a deadly Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel. "After the Red Cross receives the (Palestinian) prisoners, the ones from Jerusalem will go to Jerusalem and the ones from the West Bank will gather in Betunia municipal council where their families will be waiting,” Fares told Reuters. Reporting by Ali Sawafta; Editing by Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Israel's, Qadura, ” Fares, Ali Sawafta, Howard Goller Organizations: West Bank, Hamas, International Committee, Cross, Reuters, Thomson Locations: RAMALLAH, West, Israel, Gaza, Jerusalem, Egypt, Betunia, Israeli

☆ Relief, sadness for Palestinian prisoners freed in hostage deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Ali Sawafta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEITUNIA, West Bank, Nov 24 (Reuters) - For the families of Palestinian detainees freed by Israel under a hostage deal agreed with the Islamist group Hamas, Friday brought relief tinged with sadness at the fighting that is set to continue in Gaza after the expiry of a four-day truce. Israeli police were seen raiding her Jerusalem home before her daughter was released. More than 100 more Palestinian prisoners are due to be released over the coming four days and more may be freed if the truce is extended. In Beitunia, a city near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, a large crowd, mostly of young men, greeted freed prisoners by cheering, honking car horns and marching in the street carrying Palestinian flags. [1/7]Released Palestinian prisoner Fatima Amarneh is received by her family, amid a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, near Jenin in the Israeli-occupied West Bank November 25, 2023.

Persons: Sawsan Bkeer, Marah Bkeer, Fatima Amarneh, Raneen, Abu Ubaida, Laith Othman, Ismail Shaheen, Fatima, Shaheen, Yosri AlJamal, James Mackenzie, Daniel Wallis Organizations: West Bank, Hamas, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: West, Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Jenin, Bethlehem

☆ In daughter's empty bedroom, an Israeli hopes for her return from Gaza captivity
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Avi Ohayon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsKFAR VRADIM, Israel, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Eitan Gonen sits in his daughter Romi's bedroom. Outside, the world waits for Israel's temporary truce with Hamas to take effect and for the release of some of the hostages held in Gaza. The Hamas attack, in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed, sparked the nearly seven-week-old war in Gaza. Israel says its mission is to eradicate Hamas and return the roughly 240 hostages held in Gaza. Under Qatari mediation, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a temporary ceasefire during which some Gaza hostages will be repatriated in exchange for the release of three times the number of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

Persons: Meirav Leshem Gonen, Romi Gonen, Ronen, KFAR, Eitan Gonen, Gonen, rampaged, Romi, Gaya, Ben, let's, Avi Ohayon, Ari Rabinovitch, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, Israel Defence Forces, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Jerusalem, KFAR VRADIM, Israel, Palestinian, Gaya

☆ Three Americans expected to be included in Gaza hostage release-US official
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Israeli bombardments since have flattened large swaths of Hamas-led Gaza and killed 13,300 civilians, according to authorities in Gaza. Under terms of the deal, Hamas is to release 50 hostages and Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners during a four- to five-day pause in the fighting. The hostage group will include two American women and an American girl named Abigail who will turn four on Friday, the official said. The deal will also include more deliveries of humanitarian relief aid to Gaza, the official said. A rigorous inspection regime will ensure Hamas does not use the pause to rearm the group's fighters in Gaza with weaponry, the official said.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Abigail, Steve Holland, Costas Pitas, Humeyra Pamuk, Arshad Mohammed, Scott Malone, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, U.S, Qatar, American

☆ Hit by war, Israelis defer loan repayments in October -banks regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An explosion takes place during Israeli air strikes over Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Israelis deferred payment on nearly 3 billion shekels of loans in October as a result of Israel's war with Hamas, the banking regulator said on Wednesday. Following the attacks on Israel by Palestinian Hamas gunmen on Oct 7 and the subsequent war, the central bank's banking supervisor told banks to allow for loan deferrals and ease fees for households and businesses affected by the conflict. "It is important to emphasize to the public the significance of deferring loan repayments, and that borrowers should do so only if they really need to." ($1 = 3.7154 shekels)Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Banks Daniel Hahiashvili, Amir Yaron, Steven Scheer, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Bank of, Data, deferrals, " Bank of Israel, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Bank of Israel, Palestinian

☆ Explainer: What do we know about Israeli hostages in Gaza?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

According to Israeli media and the Israeli government, up to 40 hostages being held are children, including a 10-month-old baby and preschoolers. The Israeli military said earlier this month that it recovered the bodies of two hostages in Gaza City, including 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano. The Israeli military has said it found evidence that some hostages were held at or under hospitals. The military released video that it said also showed militants forcing two hostages into Shifa hospital on Oct. 7. Hamas released another video in October that showed three women hostages denouncing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Judith Raanan, Natalie Raanan, Nurit Cooper, Yocheved Lifshitz, Ori Megidish, Noa Marciano, Marciano, Lifshitz, Benjamin Netanyahu, HOW, Netanyahu, Cynthia Osterman, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, WHO, Islamic, Israel Defence Forces, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, U.S, Thailand, Britain, France, Argentina, Germany, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Gaza City, Al Shifa, Jerusalem

☆ Palestinian women and youths to be swapped for Israeli hostages
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Ali Sawafta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jubilant reunions are expected when Palestinian families greet the prisoners on their return as early as Thursday, most of them to their homes in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem. Arrested for such offences as attempted stabbings, stone throwings at Israeli soldiers or having contacts with hostile organisations, many were held under administrative detention, meaning Israel held them without trial. Israel has agreed to a four-day truce, the entry of aid to Gaza and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners in return for the hostages, all children or women. Another 150 Palestinian prisoners could be freed in return for another 50 hostages in days to come, a Palestinian official said. "The resistance didn't call this deal a swap deal but it is a deal for truce and ceasefire," he said.

Persons: Shir Torem, Gilad Shalit, Yahya Sinwar, James Mackenzie, Howard Goller Organizations: REUTERS, West Bank, Jerusalem, Qatari, Palestinian, Commission, Prisoners ' Affairs, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, RAMALLAH, East Jerusalem

☆ The secret negotiations that led to the Gaza hostages deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Pictures of hostages held in Gaza, who were seized from southern Israel on October 7 by Hamas gunmen during a deadly attack, are displayed in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 15, 2023. Demands were made that Hamas produce the lists of hostages it was holding, their identifying information, and guarantees of release. Biden held a previously undisclosed phone call with the Qatari prime minister when the phasing of releases began to take shape, the official said. Shortly after Biden's call, Hamas produced details for the 50 hostages it said would be released in the first phase of any deal. Biden in a Nov. 14 call urged Netanyahu to take the deal - Netanyahu agreed.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Bill Burns, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Brett McGurk, Sullivan, McGurk, Josh Geltzer, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Biden, Netanyahu, Judith Raanan, Burns, David Barnea, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ”, Abbas Kamil, Word, Steve Holland, Don Durfee Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, White, U.S, Israeli, CIA, U.S . Middle East, National Security Council, Hamas, Qatari, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Tel Aviv, Qatar, Egypt, United States, U.S, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sullivan’s, Doha, Cairo, San Francisco, Asia, Lincoln

☆ Nearly Seven Weeks of War in Gaza Between Israel and Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

The following is a timeline of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip. Oct. 7: Hamas gunmen launch a surprise attack on southern Israel, crossing over from Gaza and rampaging through towns. Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif announces on Hamas media that the attack has started and urges Palestinians everywhere to fight. The two women were kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz in southern Israel with their husbands, who are still held by Hamas. Israel says the hospital sits atop tunnels housing a headquarters for Hamas fighters using patients as shields, which Hamas denies.

Persons: Mohammad Deif, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Joe Biden, Biden, Judith Tai Raanan, Natalie, Nurit Cooper, Yocheved, Nir, shalom, Netanyahu, General Antonio Guterres, Al Shifa, Al, Alexandra Hudson, James Mackenzie, Timothy Heritage Organizations: Reuters, Hamas, Arabi Baptist, Gaza, Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza's Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Gaza City, al, Ahli, Arabi, Palestinian, Jordan, Nahal, Rafah, Gaza's

☆ Terrible Choices and Deep Distrust: The Path to the Hostage Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Peter Baker | More About Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The Israelis were insisting that it was not enough to free just 50 of the roughly 240 hostages. Mr. Biden told the emir of Qatar, who was serving as the intermediary with Hamas, that four was all they would get for now. The path to the hostage deal was painful and painstaking, one marked by fitful progress, deep mistrust, terrible choices and moments when the whole thing was on the verge of unraveling. Mr. McGurk, who has wide contacts in the region, held early morning phone calls each day with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and then briefed Mr. Sullivan, who kept Mr. Biden informed. Mr. Sullivan stayed in touch with Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi, two of Mr. Netanyahu’s closest advisers.

Persons: Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, ” Mr, Jake Sullivan, Brett McGurk, Joshua Geltzer, McGurk, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Sullivan, Ron Dermer, Tzachi Hanegbi, Netanyahu’s Organizations: Hamas, United, Biden, White, National Security Council Locations: Qatar, United States, Thani

☆ Israeli children held hostage in Gaza face a long road to recovery after release
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nathan Frandino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Hamas and allied groups captured around 240 hostages when Islamist gunmen rampaged through southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7 in an attack that Israeli authorities say killed more than 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. According to the Israeli government, up to 40 of the hostages are children, including a 10-month-old baby and preschoolers, some of whom saw their relatives murdered before their eyes just before being kidnapped. Four hostages have been returned so far while a fifth was rescued by Israeli troops. Their accounts suggest that the captives were separated into small groups and held at least part of the time in a web of tunnels built by Hamas under Gaza. "We do have skills and knowledge and it's going to be very painful to hear the stories and meet the children," Dollberg said.

Persons: Daphna Dollberg, Dollberg, Hagai Levine, Emily Rose, Howard Goller Organizations: des Nations, United Nations, Academic College of Tel, Yaffo, Forum, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Israel, Gaza, Switzerland, JERUSALEM, Hamas, Academic College of Tel Aviv

☆ Arab nations say Israel-Hamas truce should be extended, aid ramped up
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A view of destroyed buildings in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Arab foreign ministers welcomed an agreement for a temporary truce between Israel and Gaza militant group Hamas on Wednesday but said it should be extended and become a first step toward a full cessation of hostilities. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said the humanitarian aid should be sustained and expanded, and it should not later become contingent on further hostage releases. "There must at no point be a reduction in this access based on progress for further release of hostages ... Reporting by Mark Bendeich and Aidan Lewis; Editing by Nadine Awadalla and Michael GeorgyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Jordan, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Israel's, Mark Bendeich, Aidan Lewis, Nadine Awadalla, Michael Georgy Organizations: Palestinian, Hamas, REUTERS, Saudi Foreign, . Security Council, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, London

Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said the proposal on a hostage release deal was delivered to Israel in the early hours of Tuesday. Before gathering with his full government, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Tuesday with his war cabinet and wider national security cabinet over the deal. Israeli media including Channel 12 news said that if the deal was approved, the first release of hostages was expected on Thursday. Implementing the deal must wait for 24 hours to give Israeli citizens the chance to ask the Supreme Court to block the release of Palestinian prisoners, reports said. HOSPITAL ORDERED TO EVACUATEAs attention focused on the hostage release deal, fighting on the ground raged on.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Majed Al, Ansari, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Judith Raanan, Natalie Raanan, Nurit Cooper, Yocheved Lifshitz, Al Quds, Mounir, Al Shifa, Israel, WAFA, Khan Younis, Nidal al, Emily Rose, Henriette Chacar, Andrew Mills, Steve Holland, Jonathan Landay, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Cynthia Osterman, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Netanyahu, Media, Officials, Hamas, Qatar Foreign Ministry, U.S, Islamic, Al Quds Brigades, Al, Indonesian, United Nations, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, Qatar, GAZA, JERUSALEM, U.S, State, Israeli, Gaza ., Al Jazeera, Gaza City, Palestinian, Jabalia, Hamas, Khan, Jerusalem, Doha, Washington, Cairo

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