Israel confirms how many Americans are held hostage by Hamas for first time
Israel has confirmed for the first time that a total of 11 Americans are currently held hostage by Hamas with three set to the released.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said this week the US does not have a "precise number" on the total hostages currently in the hands of Hamas. Israel and Hamas have now agreed on a truce in the form of a four-day ceasefire for hostages to be released, taken in the militant incursion into Israel on October 7.
Qatar, acting as a mediator, announced the deal with Hamas later confirming the ceasefire would begin at 10am on Thursday. Both sides will let go of women and children first, and the supply of humanitarian aid flowing into the besieged territory will be ramped up.
President Joe Biden welcomed the deal, saying Netanyahu has committed to supporting an “extended pause” to make sure that the hostages are released and humanitarian aid can be sent to Gaza. Israel said that the truce would be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages released by Hamas.
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Israel and Hamas have now agreed on a truce in the form of a four-day ceasefire (Andy Stenning/Daily Mirror)The 11 US hostages are among the highest number of foreign nationals currently held by Hamas. Israel said there are 26 from Thailand, 20 from Argentina and another 20 from Germany.
This week, Israel's Justice Ministry released a list of 300 prisoners that were eligible for released as part of the deal. Most of the listees are teenagers who were detained for minor offenses such as rock-throwing - over 1,850 Palestinians in the West Bank have been detained since the war began.
Hamas said hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid — including fuel — would be allowed to enter Gaza. It said Israeli aircraft would stop flying over the territory's south for the duration of the four-day cease-fire and for six hours daily in the north.
Families of Israeli hostages, and their supporters carry Israeli flags and photos of the hostages as they participate in a five-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in Tel Aviv, Israel on November 16 (Anadolu via Getty Images)Despite the deal, there are concerns in Israel that the ceasefire could allow Hamas to regroup after it suffered major losses in the continued Israeli bombardment of the region. Israeli troops and tanks are expected to remain in place, despite the risks of being stationary behind enemy lines. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed the war would continue after the truce "until we achieve all our goals."
In a statement, President Biden said he welcomed the deal and thanked Qatari and Egyptian involvement in the deal. "I appreciate the commitment that Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government have made in supporting an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out and to ensure the provision of additional humanitarian assistance to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinian families in Gaza," Biden said.
Biden said the US will continue to pursue the release of all hostages (AFP via Getty Images)He added that he will "not stop until they are all released."
Key details of the ceasefire:
- Begins at 10am on Thursday
- Ceasefire to last four days
- 50 hostages in Gaza to be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners
- Hostages to be released in bursts
- First group of Palestinian prisoners to be released after the first batch of Israeli hostages
- Women and children priorities
- Truce would be extended by a day for every 10 additional hostages released
- Fuel and humanitarian aid allowed to enter Gaza, according to Hamas. Supplies also allowed into northern Gaza for the first time
- Hamas militants to refrain from firing rockets. In return, Israeli jets and troops will hold fire and warplanes will not fly over southern Gaza. Jets will still fly for six hours daily over northern Gaza
The International Committee of the Red Cross will visit the remaining hostages and provide them with medicines they may need, but this is unconfirmed.
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