Israel has clarified that the release of hostages under the newly-inked Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal with Hamas will not occur before Friday.
Israel’s national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi stated on Wednesday that the “start of the release will take place according to the original agreement between the sides, and not before Friday.”
This comes after Israel approved a four-day pause in fighting to allow humanitarian access into Gaza. In exchange, Hamas will free 50 Israeli hostages comprising women and children. Further hostage releases could extend the truce.
However, ambiguity over the ceasefire start time prompted false hopes of an imminent hostage exchange on Thursday. Seeking to manage expectations, Israeli PM Netanyahu’s office dismissed such reports as “media speculation”.
Officials explained the delay would give adequate time for procedural formalities as Hamas is yet to sign the mediated pact. Moreover, clearly signaling the release timeline provides relief to anxious families of hostages.
Tensions remain high between the warring parties after Hamas militants launched surprise attacks in October, killing over 1200 Israelis. The assaults sparked a relentless Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza which has claimed over 14,000 Palestinian lives so far.
While the temporary deal is the first step to de-escalating hostilities, the road ahead is long for broader Israel-Palestine peace. However, Egyptian mediators have managed to bring both sides to the table amidst global calls for Gaza’s humanitarian crisis to be addressed urgently.
All eyes are now on the upcoming releases as building blocks toward reconciling two deeply hurting communities. Respecting ceasefire terms could restore minimal trust for future negotiations.
