No Israeli hostages held by Hamas will be released nor will there be a truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group before this Friday, Israeli authorities announced.
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There will be no “pause” in the fighting, an Israeli official told AFP on condition of anonymity. delaying the truce that was expected to begin at 10 a.m. local, according to another Israeli source.
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“The negotiations for the release of our hostages do not stop,” Tzachi Hanegbi, head of the Israeli National Security Council, said in a statement, adding that “the releases will begin according to the original agreement between the parties and not before Friday.” .
Neither of the two sources gave further explanations.
(In context: The Government of Israel accepts the agreement with Hamas to release hostages and truce)
The Israeli press initially reported a project to release the first hostages at noon. The government office even invited journalists to Tel Aviv at night to a press center dedicated to the “return of the hostages”.
Israel and Hamas announced this Wednesday an agreement that provides for the release of 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for 150 Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons, and a four-day truce in the Palestinian territory.
The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7 due to the unprecedented attack by the Palestinian movement on Israeli soil from Gaza.
(Also read: UN Secretary denounces ‘unprecedented’ massacre of minors in the Gaza Strip)
According to Israeli authorities, at least 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and about 240 were taken hostage to Gaza. In response, Israel vowed to “annihilate” Hamas and began an incessant bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army has also been carrying out a ground offensive in that territory since the end of October.
According to the Hamas government, more than 14,000 people have been killed in Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, including more than 5,800 minors.
AFP
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