Hostage release delayed as Hamas demands aid access

Hamas's armed wing, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam brigades, has announced a delay in the second release of hostages scheduled for Saturday.

The decision is contingent on Israel allowing aid trucks to enter northern Gaza, in accordance with the terms agreed upon in the recent brokered deal supported by Qatar and the US.

The temporary pause in hostilities, brokered by Qatar, led to the release of dozens of hostages, including Palestinians held by Israel.

The agreement involves the release of 50 women and children held by various groups in Gaza, along with the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners (women and children) from Israeli jails.

Additionally, Israel is set to permit hundreds of aid trucks daily to cross the Rafah border with Egypt.

The initial release, which occurred on Friday, involved 13 Israelis, 10 Thais, and a Philippine national held by Hamas. In return, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners, comprising 24 women and 15 teenagers.

This four-day ceasefire represents the first break in the seven-week conflict that has claimed over 14,000 lives in Gaza and over 1,200 in Israel.

The ceasefire's extension is tied to the continued release of hostages, with one additional day granted for every 10 hostages released, as stated by the Israeli government.

While Qatar's foreign ministry emphasized the increased entry of humanitarian convoys and relief aid during the ceasefire, Hamas representative Osama Hamdan cited Israeli violations, including issues related to aid, shootings, and a rising death toll, as reasons for the delay.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has not provided immediate comments on the reported delay in the release of hostages and detainees.

[With information sourced from The Guardian]