Israel and Hamas at war, day 50 | After an impasse, new hostages released

A new group of hostages was released by Hamas on Saturday, the second day of a fragile truce between the Islamist group and Israel. The break in fighting allowed the entry of more than 60 humanitarian aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip, carrying water, food and medical equipment.

According to Israeli authorities, Hamas released 17 hostages, including 13 Israelis and 4 Thais, shortly before midnight on Saturday (local time).

In return, 39 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel were released.

However, the release of the hostages looked difficult at the start of the day, with Hamas accusing Israel of having violated the terms of the agreement, particularly concerning the delivery of aid to the north of the enclave.

Late in the afternoon, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari confirmed that the impasse had been resolved and that the process of releasing the hostages was continuing as agreed.

“The obstacles to the release of prisoners were overcome thanks to the exchanges between Qatar and Egypt with both sides,” he said on the social network X.

“Among those released from Israeli prisons are 33 children and 6 women, while 8 children and 5 women are among those released in Gaza,” he said in another message.

These are in addition to the 24 hostages released on Friday, seven weeks after their capture during the October 7 attack carried out by Hamas.

The largest humanitarian convoy

The first respite since the start of the conflict, the truce allowed the entry of significant humanitarian aid into the north of the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said Saturday it had managed to deliver what it described as the “largest convoy” of humanitarian aid to the area since the start of the conflict.

Made up of 61 trucks, the convoy transported food, water, medicine and medical supplies. According to the UN, some 200 additional trucks loaded with fuel entered the enclave on Saturday.

On Saturday, in the town of Khan Yunis, a long line of people with gasoline cans and other containers waited outside a gas station hoping to get some of the newly delivered fuel.

“The truce feels good, we hope it will last. It’s good when it’s quiet. People want to live,” Mohammed Dheir, who found refuge with his family in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, told Agence France-Presse.

In addition, six Palestinians were killed in incidents with the Israeli army on Saturday in the West Bank, including four in Jenin, according to the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry.

An extension of the truce?

In Ottawa, thousands of protesters gathered on Parliament Hill on Saturday, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

Similarly, in London, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to demand an end to the fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Egypt said on Saturday it had received positive signals regarding a possible extension of the truce by one or two days.

Qatar, which led the negotiations with Egypt and the United States, on Wednesday obtained a temporary four-day truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, during which 50 hostages held in Gaza were to be released, as well as 150 Palestinians detained in Israel.

According to the head of Egypt’s state information service, Diaa Rashwan, the country was holding discussions with the various parties to extend the truce and release a greater number of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

“Take Them Out of Hell”

In Tel Aviv, tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered on Saturday awaiting the arrival of the Israeli hostages. “Get them out of hell,” one banner read.

According to Israeli authorities, 1,200 people, the vast majority civilians, were killed on October 7, and 240 people were taken hostage.

In retaliation, Israel promised to “eliminate” Hamas, relentlessly bombing Palestinian territory and launching a ground offensive.

In Gaza, 14,854 people, including 6,150 children, were killed by Israeli strikes, according to the Hamas government.

With The Guardian and Agence France-Presse