The Islamist group Hamas announced this Saturday that it is delaying the release of a second group of Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of having violated the terms of the agreement. agreement they reached regarding the entry of humanitarian aid and release of Palestinian prisoners.
(Also read: Israel releases the first 39 Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement with Hamas)
“We delay the release of the second group of prisoners until the occupation (Israel) meets the terms of the agreement related to the entry of aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip, and due to the failure to comply with the agreement on standards for the release of prisoners “, reported the al-Qasam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in a statement.
However, in a brief statement the Palestinian Islamist group did not specify how long the delay will be or if it can finally be carried out in the next few hours. Israeli sources denied to EFE that they had violated the terms of the pact.
Taher al Nono, advisor to Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas political bureau – both based in Qatar -, hours before the brigades’ announcement, accused Israel of violating the terms of the agreement they reached this week for the exchange of 50 Israeli hostages for 150 Palestinian prisoners, in addition to four days of truce and the entry of 200 trucks of humanitarian aid daily into the Gaza Strip.
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On Friday, the first day of the truce, Hamas released 13 Israeli hostages – in addition to ten Thais and one Filipino – while Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners under that pact.
“The occupation has carried out shooting operations against many citizens during the truce, which led to the martyrdom of two citizens yesterday,” said Nono, in what he considered a breach of the ceasefire.
The UN today confirmed the death of at least one Gazan civilian by Israeli gunfire in Deir al Balah, in the south of the enclave, when groups of Gazans tried to take advantage of the ceasefire to return to their homes in the northern part. where Israel ordered the forced evacuation of the inhabitants weeks ago.
Haniyeh’s advisor also complained that the entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip has been “much less than agreed upon,” and according to the Brigades, not enough would have reached the northern part.
Egypt confirmed that some 50 trucks with humanitarian aid destined for the north of the Strip entered today through the Rafah crossing; while the Red Crescent said there were 61.
“The largest convoy of 61 humanitarian assistance trucks for the northern Gaza governorates, loaded with food and other items, water, primary care medicines and emergency medical supplies, entered through Rafah today,” the humanitarian organization confirmed .
According to Hamas, the agreement contemplated the entry of at least 200 trucks a day of humanitarian aid and food, and four trucks with fuel; but he did not specify how many should reach the north.
The UN reported that yesterday, the first day of the agreement, 137 aid trucks and some 130,000 liters of fuel arrived; but COGAT, the Israeli military organization that controls civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, increased its number to 200 trucks.
“The criminal actions of the Zionist occupation represent a threat to the implementation of the agreement and the completion of this process,” Nono warned on behalf of Hamas. According to Nono, Israel also did not comply yesterday with the seniority requirement in the release of the 39 Palestinian prisoners, 24 women and 15 adolescents.
“The occupation’s disregard for the issue of seniority in the release of prisoners puts the agreement in real danger,” Nono stressed, while another 42 Palestinian prisoners were scheduled to be released today.
EFE
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