The anticipated release of hostages under the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas has encountered a 24-hour delay.
According to Israeli officials, the implementation of the agreement won’t occur until Friday, as the deal was not signed by Hamas and Qatar.
Israel-Hamas: Latest Developments
Deal’s details: On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza for at least four days. This agreement includes letting in aid and releasing at least 50 hostages held by Hamas in exchange for freeing at least 150 Palestinians jailed in Israel.
Hamas adds new requests: BBC news reported Hamas asked for additional demands to the hostage-truce deal, although the nature of those requests remained unclear. BBC’s editor Jeremy Bowen claimed that “if solid evidence of a Hamas headquarters cannot be found” then the international community will increase the pressure on Israel to negotiate a ceasefire.
Other causes: A Palestinian official informed AFP that the delay is due to last-minute details concerning which hostages will be released and how.
Israel arrests Shifa Hospital’s chief: The Times of Israel reported that Shifa Hospital's director in Gaza City, Mohammad Abu Salmiya, and several medical personnel were reportedly arrested by Israeli forces, with the IDF and Shin Bet confirming the arrest. They allege the hospital was being used as a command center for Hamas.
Hamas' alleged use of hospitals: Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari claimed in a press conference that Hamas has systematically used hospitals for its operations, including building tunnels beneath them. The IDF asserts that Hamas is exploiting the protected status of hospitals as a shield. The IDF posted a video on its official account, purportedly showing a Hamas-built tunnel underneath the hospital compound.
Market Reactions: Israel’s stock market, as tracked by the Tel Aviv 125 Index, fell 0.1% Thursday, snapping three straight days of gains.
As U.S. exchanges are closed on Thanksgiving, the iShares MSCI Israel ETF EIS will resume trading Friday.
The shekel (ILS) fell 0.6% against the U.S. dollar, on track for its third straight session of losses.
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