Israel-Hamas hostage deal to resume after Qatar, Egypt intervene

Hamas’ Palestinian terrorists agreed to hold up its end of the hostage deal baked into the four-day cease-fire with Israel.

Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said issues and accusations brought up by Hamas that delayed the release of 13 hostages were surmounted Saturday through mediation fostered by Qatari, Egyptian and U.S. officials.

“After a delay in implementing the release of prisoners from both sides, the obstacles were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications with both sides and tonight 39 Palestinian civilians will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli detainees from Gaza in addition to seven foreigners outside the framework of the agreement,” Mr. Al-Ansari said.

National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said President Biden spoke with Qatar’s emir and the country’s prime minister while other U.S. officials spoke with their Qatari, Israeli and Egyptian counterparts in an effort to smooth the delay on the second day of hostage releases. 

Mr. Al-Ansari said the Palestinian prisoners set for release will include 33 children and six women. The hostages released from Gaza will include eight children and five women from Israel and seven from other countries. 

The Red Cross began mobilizing to retrieve the hostages shortly after the announcement that the deal was back on. 

Earlier Saturday, Hamas delayed the freeing of the second group of hostages after accusing Israel of reneging on its end of the deal. 

The terrorist organization claimed the Jewish state was not delivering on its obligation to let aid trucks enter the Gaza Strip. 

Osama Hamdan, a Hamas official, said during a press conference that 340 aid trucks reached Gaza between Friday and Saturday and that of those, 65 reached northern Gaza, “which is less than half of what was agreed on.” 

Officials in Israel dismissed Hamas’ accusation, saying the United Nations is responsible for the aid trucks, reported the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. 

The United Nations and Israel say 200 aid trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Friday, with 50 of the trucks loaded with food, water, shelter and medical supplies bound for the northern part of the region through evacuation corridors.