The exchange of prisoners for hostages between Israel and Hamas is postponed. It could start tomorrow. The “Islamic Jihad” also wants to adhere to the associated ceasefire.
It’s a hanging game. And many people in Israel and the Gaza Strip hope that it will end well. The release of the first hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip – both are probably off the table for today. According to consistent Israeli media reports, the delay is caused by ambiguities on the lists containing the names of the hostages.
Details still need to be clarified, it said. Military spokesman Daniel Hagari did not want to go into details in his statement. “This is a complicated process that is ongoing. It will take time and will be carried out in several steps.” It is not yet finished and it could take some time before it is final, he emphasized.
Netanyahu: Take action against Hamas leader
The Qatari Foreign Ministry reported that the start of the ceasefire would be communicated soon. Many expect the agreement between Israel and Hamas to come into force on Friday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not address the delay in his press conference last night.
But he made one thing unmistakably clear. The leading figures of the terrorist organization Hamas will no longer feel safe anywhere in the future. “I have instructed the Mossad to take action against the Hamas leaders, whoever and wherever they are,” said the head of government.
“We coordinate with Hamas”
It is now clear that the “Islamic Jihad”, the second Islamist terrorist group in the Gaza Strip, will also take part in the agreement. Ali Abu Shaheen, a spokesman for Islamic Jihad, made this clear this morning on the Arabic channel Al Jazeera. The “Islamic Jihad” was involved in the fight and in the “Al-Aqsa flood” from the very first moment. This is how Hamas describes its terrorist attack on Israel in early October, which killed more than 1,300 people.
“We coordinate with Hamas at the political level. Communication and coordination is constantly ongoing, there are personal contacts between our leadership,” said Ali Abu Shaheen. “From the beginning, we discussed the issue of concluding the agreement together and coordinated. We reached the agreement together.”
Gray areas: Built-up areas in the Gaza Strip. Hatching: Israeli army
Director of Al-Shifa Clinic arrested
Meanwhile, the Israeli military presented new images and videos that are intended to show how extensive the tunnel system under the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City is. A suspected Hamas hideout beneath the clinic was also shown.
According to media reports, the director of the Shifa Hospital was also arrested in the morning. Mohammed Abu Selmia was taken away by Israeli soldiers, army radio reported. He is said to have possibly cooperated with Hamas. The Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City is the largest in the sealed-off coastal area. It has recently been subjected to heavy shelling.
Julio Segador, tagesschau, November 23rd, 2023 12:38 p.m