Hamas Stalls Release of Second Group of Hostages, Israel Sets Deadline to Resume Military Operations
Meanwhile, Israeli ship hit by kamikaze drone in Indian Ocean.
Hamas delayed the release of the second batch of hostages scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The terrorist group made further demands in addition to the conditions secured under the deal brokered by Qatar and the Biden administration.
“Palestinian terror group Hamas have delayed the release of 13 more Israeli hostages to Red Cross custody on Saturday, calling for Israel to allow more food trucks into the Northern Gaza strip,” the Jerusalem Post reported Saturday afternoon.
Hamas says they have decided to delay the release of the second group of hostages until Israel allows aid trucks to enter northern Gaza.
They must still be hiding in their tunnels because that’s exactly what happened today. There’s no limit to Hamas’ cynicism. https://t.co/nSqgaIIazA
— Ariel Oseran (@ariel_oseran) November 25, 2023
Hamas issued a statement saying it has delayed the release of the second batch of hostages until Israel complies with the terms of the agreement related to aid trucks to the northern Gaza Strip and not meeting the agreed upon standards for releasing prisoners.
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) November 25, 2023
#BREAKING: Israel has given Hamas a deadline, if the hostages aren't returned by midnight Israel will resume the attacks on Gaza and the ground operation. (Ynet)
— Instant News Alerts (@InstaNewsAlerts) November 25, 2023
The first batch of hostages were released on Friday in line with the deal brokered by the Biden White House and the Qatari regime kicks in. According to the deal, around 50 Israeli hostages are set be released after 49 days in Hamas captivity. The hostages are being freed in return for 150 Palestinian prisoners, mostly convicted terrorists and murderers.
On Friday, 13 Israeli hostages, along with ten Thai nationals and one Filipino who were released as part of the deal.
After 49 heart-wrenching days, Yoni Asher gets to hold his wife, Doron, and little girls – Aviv and Raz – again. pic.twitter.com/wIOSm6T4q8
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) November 25, 2023
The Jerusalem Post reported:
The IDF confirmed it has custody of the 13 hostages released from Hamas on Friday and is accompanying them until their return to their homes.
Another Israeli source stated that the list of the released hostages for the first day corresponds to those who were released via Egypt’s Rafah crossing.
The transfer was made in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, Walla reported citing an Israeli official. This was after the IDF had completed its preparations for the reception of 13 hostages who were set to return to Israel on Friday, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. The hostages that crossed into Rafah met with Israeli officials, Walla reported.
9-year-old Ohad Monder, his mother Keren and his grandmother Ruthi, who were rescued from Hamas, are being treated in the designated complex at the Schneider Pediatric Center of the Klalit Group. In photos and video – the first meeting with Ohad's father and brother and family… pic.twitter.com/ni59wfv5k2
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) November 25, 2023
West Bank pro-Hamas mob cheers freed terrorists; Palestinian convicts seen mocking Israeli prison staff ahead of the release
The first batch of freed terrorists arriving in the West Bank were greeted by a large crowd chanting pro-Hamas slogans and ‘Allahu Akbar.’ The Israeli security forces were forced to fire tear gas and stun grenades to push back the agitated pro-jihad mob that came out to welcome the released murders and terror convicts.
In a related video posted on Twitter, a group of young Palestinian convicts were seen mocking Israeli prison staff ahead of their anticipated release.
Observe the number of Ethiopian Israelis releasing their Arab Palestinian terrorist prisoners. Also, observer how these young jihadists are gleeful, unrepentant, and mocking their captors. Sadly, Israel will hear from them again — soon.
Video @dahrinoor2 pic.twitter.com/DNpCHPw90o
— Dumisani Washington (@DumisaniTemsgen) November 25, 2023
Quoting an eyewitness reported, Sky News reported:
We’ve just heard more from our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn, who has witnessed the release of the Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank.
Behind him, he said, was the white coach that carried the prisoners from the detention centre they had been held in.
He said crowds waiting for their release built up and were responded to “assertively” by the Israeli military, who used tear gas, stun grenades and possibly rounds of live ammunition to push people back in “chaotic scenes”.
What triggered the strongest response from the Israeli forces was when a number of Hamas green flags were marched down the road and became “rallying points for pro-Hamas chanting”, he said.
Ahmad Manasra was one of the Palestinian teenagers released by Israel today in exchange for Israeli hostages
Seeing the video of him hugging his mother, many pro-Palestinian people claimed Israel arrests innocent kids
He & his cousin stabbed random 13 y/o and 21 y/o Jews pic.twitter.com/OmRXOJIt2a
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 25, 2023
Netanyahu: Israel “committed to achieving all the aims of the war”
As the hostage-for-terrorist deal proceeds, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation in Hebrew, promising to fulfill all the aims of the military operation in response to the October 7 massacre, which include the ridding Gaza of Hamas.
The Israeli broadcaster Arutz Sheva reported:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on Friday evening in which he commented on the release of 13 hostages who were held in Gaza, in the first phase of the deal which was agreed upon this week.
“We just completed the return of the first of our hostages: children, their mothers and additional women. Each of them is an entire world,” said Netanyahu.
“But I emphasize to you, the families, and to you, citizens of Israel: we are committed to returning all the hostages,” he added.
“This is one of the aims of the war and we are committed to achieving all the aims of the war,” stated Netanyahu.
Drone Attack In Indian Ocean
Days after Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists hijacked an Israeli-owned ship in the Red Sea, another Israeli cargo vessel has been hit by an Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean.
The commercial cargo ship, owned by an Israeli businessman, was sailing in the Iranian Ocean when it was hit by an Iranian-made Shahed-136 Kamikaze drone, the Associated Press reported Saturday, citing a U.S. defense department source.
The Israeli TV channel i24NEWS confirmed that “the Malta-flagged vessel is owned by a Singapore-based company, Eastern Pacific Shipping, which is ultimately controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.”
Last Sunday, Yemen-based Houthis seized a British ship partially owned by an Israeli businessman. The jihadist terrorist group, armed and trained by Iran’s Islamic Guard (IRGC), has launched a series of missiles and drones at Israeli since the October 7 massacre by Hamas.
The Associated Press reported:
A container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire came under attack by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean as Israel wages war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, an American defense official said Saturday.
The attack Friday on the CMA CGM Symi comes as global shipping increasingly finds itself targeted in the weekslong war that threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as a truce has halted fighting and Hamas exchanges hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The defense official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the Malta-flagged vessel was suspected to have been targeted by a triangle-shaped, bomb-carrying Shahed-136 drone while in international waters. The drone exploded, causing damage to the ship but not injuring any of its crew.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely,” the official said. The official declined to elaborate on what intelligence the U.S. military gathered to assess Iran was behind the attack.
Al-Mayadeen, a pan-Arab satellite channel that is politically allied with the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, reported that an Israeli ship had been targeted in the Indian Ocean. The channel cited anonymous sources for the report, which Iranian media later cited.
The Iranian drone attack comes as Israeli military temporarily suspended its ground offensive against Iran-backed terrorist group Hamas in Gaza. The four-day pause is part of a hostages-for-terrorist deal brokered by the Biden administration and the government of Qatar, a leading Arab backer of Hamas.
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Comments
When dealing with Muslims expect duplicity. Always.
Israel should know this.
Israel does know this and so does everyone else but Israel was pressured into a “pause”. The terrorists are just being terrorists and few believe anything they say, they are holding hostages after all.
Surprise, surprise, surprise…….NOT.
As soon as Hamas refused to abide by the terms, the bombing should have resumed.
Yes
It’s always a question of extracting the biggest profit from the exchange and its mechanisms, not soap opera.
After this “deal” is done, one way or the other, there need to be no more deals. This is war. Treat it as such or lose.
Hamas probably doesn’t have enough hostages still alive to turn over.
So they changed the deal mid operation. There shouldn’t be a deadline. Just immediately restart the Military action the moment the first hostage isn’t released at the exact moment that was planned.
Of course there should have never been an agreement other than mass release of all hostages at once without restrictions or agreement to release any terrorists prisoners, period. “Release the hostages at point X at X time. If not we will presume they have all been killed and will take appropriate military action to enact a counter value strategy.
Currently Israel has been using a Counter Force strategy by only targeting Hamas Military assets.
We know that 75% of Gazans are a Hamas asset, respond by targeting them, and all their assets. Reduce those assets to ruble.
Then there is Iran, destroy their 2 largest dams in response to piracy and the drone attack. Respond in kind until all 600-700 dams are destroyed. That is something Iran will understand.
From the river to the sea,
hamass will cease to be.
Good riddance.
If Israel maintains their messaging focus and discipline this works out for them in the PR war. That said, they’ve blown the last couple exchanges, all on the “exchange” topic. Reverting to form, unfortunately.