“At least 50 abductees – women and children – will be released for four days during which there will be a lull in the fighting,” the Israeli government said in a statement on Wednesday.
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A first respite after more than six weeks of war. The Israeli government gave the green light on Wednesday, November 22, for an agreement allowing the release of at least 50 hostages captured on October 7 by Hamas, in exchange for a four-day pause in the fighting in Gaza, and the release of Palestinian prisoners.
During the terrorist attacks in Israel, around 240 people were kidnapped and taken to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. In retaliation, Israel launched intense strikes and a ground operation against the Islamist organization in the Gaza Strip. The agreement reached on Wednesday marks the start of a first truce of several days in the fighting, more than a month after the start of hostilities. Main lines, profiles of the released hostages, reactions… Franceinfo takes stock of this key stage of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
At least 50 hostages released after four-day break in fighting
“The government approved the outline of the first stage of an agreement under which at least 50 abductees – women and children – will be released for four days”, the Israeli government said in a statement. Shortly after, the Qatari authorities, at the heart of the talks, confirmed an agreement for “humanitarian break” in the Gaza Strip.
“The start of this break will be announced in the next 24 hours and will last four days, with the possibility of extension”, declared on X the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The latter welcomed the “success” of its joint mediation with Egypt and the United States.
According to the press release, the agreement includes “the release of 50 civilians (…) in exchange for the release of a certain number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons”. Qatar specifies that the number of prisoners released, which should be 150 according to Hamas, “will increase in subsequent stages of implementation of the agreement.”
The truce go “allow entry a greater number of humanitarian and emergency aid convoys” in Gaza, “including fuel for humanitarian needs.” Hamas welcomed the “provisions of this agreement [qui] were formulated in accordance with the vision of the resistance”.
A possible first exchange from Thursday
According to a senior Hamas official interviewed by AFP, a “first exchange of ten hostages for 30 prisoners” could take place as early as Thursday, and this “truce can be extended”. After the return to Israel of 50 freed hostages, “the release of ten additional hostages will lead to an additional day of break” in the fighting, the Israeli government announced.
According to a senior White House official, who spoke to the press on Tuesday evening, three Americans are among the 50 hostages to be released initially. “We hope there are French people among them”, also declared the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, Wednesday morning on France Inter. The minister welcomed the agreement, which marks “a moment of real hope”.
Five long weeks of negotiations
To obtain this agreement, five weeks of negotiations “terribly trying” were necessary, the senior American official told the press on Tuesday. The latter described “daily contacts, sometimes hour by hour” for weeks between Israelis, Americans, Qataris and Egyptians.
The senior official spoke of communications “difficult” and laborious, because “messages must go through Doha and Cairo to the Gaza Strip, and return in the other direction.” The deal has started “to take shape” between late October and early November, but Hamas then only provided a list of ten names of hostages who could be released. He ended up providing 50 names of women and children after discussions between the American president and the emir of Qatar, according to the same source.
Still according to this senior official, Israel gave an initial agreement on November 14, but Hamas subsequently stopped responding, then interrupted exchanges several times once contact was re-established. On November 18, a meeting in Doha resulted in a plan in “five to six pages”then a response from Hamas settled the final points the next day.
Reactions are multiplying to welcome the agreement
Joe Biden said to himself “extraordinarily satisfied” when the agreement was announced. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, “warmly greeted” this decision. “The European Commission will do everything in its power to take advantage of this pause to organize a surge in humanitarian aid to Gaza,” she added.
In reaction to the agreement, the spokesperson for Russian diplomacy, Maria Zakharova, declared that “This is exactly what Russia called for from the start of the escalation of the conflict.” Beijing “greet” also this release of hostages and pause in the fighting in Gaza.
“The Israeli government, Israeli army and security forces will continue the war to return all abductees, eliminate Hamas and ensure that there is no further threat to the State of Israel from Gaza,” nevertheless stressed the Israeli government. “We confirm that our hands will remain on the trigger and that our triumphant battalions will remain on the lookout”warned Hamas for its part.