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Provides particulars in paragraphs 2, 4, 13, 26
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LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
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13 Israeli and 4 Thai hostages again in Israel
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Egypt, Qatar assist defuse support dispute that threatened deal
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Tv exhibits bus carrying freed Palestinians in West Financial institution
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell
GAZA/JERUSALEM, Nov 26 (Reuters) – 13 Israelis and 4 Thai nationals arrived in Israel on Sunday within the second launch of hostages from Hamas captivity in trade for Palestinian prisoners, in a deal briefly endangered by a dispute about support supply into Gaza.
Though overcome by the mediation of Egypt and Qatar, the dispute that threatened the truce to free captives underscored the fragility of the pact to swap 50 hostages held by the Palestinian militant group for 150 prisoners in Israeli jails.
Tv pictures confirmed hostages on the Egyptian aspect of the Rafah border crossing after leaving Gaza, as Hamas handed the captives to the Worldwide Committee of the Purple Cross late on Saturday.
Six of the 13 Israelis launched have been girls and 7 have been youngsters or youngsters. The youngest was three-year-old Yahel Shoham, freed along with her mom and brother, though her father stays a hostage.
“The launched hostages are on their approach to hospitals in Israel, the place they’ll re-unite with their households,” the Israel Protection Forces (IDF) mentioned in an announcement.
Israel launched 39 Palestinians – six girls and 33 minors – from two prisons, the Palestinian information company WAFA mentioned.
A number of the Palestinians arrived at Al-Bireh Municipality Sq. in Ramallah within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, the place hundreds of residents awaited them, a Reuters witness mentioned.
A Palestinian official acquainted with the diplomatic strikes mentioned Hamas would proceed the truce, the primary halt in preventing since Hamas fighters rampaged by southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 folks and taking about 240 hostages.
In response to that assault, Israel has vowed to destroy the Hamas militants who run Gaza, raining bombs and shells on the enclave and launching a floor offensive within the north. Some 14,800 folks, roughly 40% of them youngsters, have been killed, Palestinian well being authorities mentioned on Saturday.
Saturday’s swap follows the day past’s preliminary launch of 13 Israeli hostages, together with youngsters and the aged, by Hamas in return for the discharge of 39 Palestinian girls and youngsters from Israeli prisons.
On Friday Hamas additionally launched a Philippine nationwide and 10 Thai farm employees.
The 4 Thais freed on Saturday “need a bathe and to contact their family”, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin mentioned on social media platform X, including that each one have been secure and confirmed few ill-effects.
Eighteen Thais stay captive, Thailand’s international ministry mentioned on Sunday, in a tally reflecting two abductions that had beforehand been unknown.
“I’m so completely happy, I’m so glad, I can’t describe my feeling in any respect,” Thongkoon Onkaew advised Reuters by phone, after information of the discharge of her son Natthaporn, 26, the household’s sole breadwinner.
HOW TO PRIORITISE RELEASES
The deal risked being derailed when Hamas’ armed wing mentioned on Saturday it was delaying releases till Israel met all truce circumstances, together with committing to let support vehicles into northern Gaza.
Saving the deal took a day of high-stakes diplomacy mediated by Qatar and Egypt, a course of U.S. President Joe Biden joined, calling Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan mentioned solely 65 of 340 support vehicles that had entered Gaza since Friday had reached northern Gaza, or “lower than half of what Israel agreed on”.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas armed wing, additionally mentioned Israel had did not respect phrases for the discharge of Palestinian prisoners that factored of their time in detention.
The IDF mentioned the United Nations and worldwide organisations distribute support throughout the Gaza Strip. The U.N. mentioned 61 vehicles delivered support to northern Gaza on Saturday, essentially the most for the reason that battle started seven weeks in the past. They included meals, water and emergency medical provides.
Qatari international ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari mentioned there had been “a variety of dialogue” on how and whom to prioritise for launch and {that a} key criterion for the Palestinian aspect was the size of time spent in Israeli prisons.
“We at the moment are hopeful that, with the second or the third day of this pause, we’d be capable of hash out a variety of these particulars,” he advised CNN.
Israel has mentioned the ceasefire might be prolonged if Hamas continued to launch not less than 10 hostages a day. A Palestinian supply has mentioned as much as 100 hostages might go free.
‘HEART IS SPLIT’
Saturday additionally introduced hours of nail-biting ready for the households of hostages, a few of whose pleasure was tempered by the continued captivity of others.
“My coronary heart is break up as a result of my son, Itay, continues to be in Hamas’ captivity in Gaza,” Mirit Regev, the mom of Maya Regev, who was launched late on Saturday, mentioned in an announcement from the Hostage and Lacking Households Discussion board that represents the households.
The await the discharge of the Shohams, who left a dad or mum hostage in Gaza, had been nerve-wracking, mentioned Aviv Havron, a relative. “However what’s that in comparison with the 50 days they spent as hostages?” the Ynet information website quoted him as saying.
Additionally launched was nine-year-old Irish-Israeli hostage Emily Hand, initially feared killed, however who spent her ninth birthday in captivity earlier than being freed together with 12-year-old Hila Rotem, whose mom stays in captivity.
“We’re overjoyed to embrace Emily once more, however on the identical time, we keep in mind Raya Rotem and all of the hostages who’ve but to return,” Hand’s household mentioned in an announcement.
Palestinians’ pleasure on the launch was tinged with bitterness.
“I really feel like I’m in a dream, however I hope that the battle on Gaza will cease as quickly as potential,” considered one of them, Shorouk Dwayyat, who had served half her time period of 16 years, advised Al Jazeera TV.
(Reporting by Emily Rose, Bassam Masoud, James Mackenzie, Maayan Lubell, Emma Farge, Aidan Lewis, Adam Makary, Nidal al-Mugrabi and Moaz Abd-Alaziz; Extra reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Sybille de La Hamaide and Jeff Mason in Nantucket, Massachusetts; Writing by Humeyra Pamuk; Enhancing by Leslie Adler, Clarence Fernandez and William Mallard)
