Second group of Israeli hostages free after Hamas delay

By: Olivia L.

The fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was rescued from the brink of failure Saturday as the terror group freed a second group of 13 Israeli hostages and four Thai nationals after hours of agonizing delay.

Hamas confirmed that the deal was moving ahead after initially claiming that Israel reneged on the terms of the four-day pause in hostilities.

Red Cross vans carrying the freed captives were photographed as they left Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt on the way to Israel.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had gathered for emergency talks with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Minister Benny Gantz, and security chiefs about Hamas’ delay of the planned release of a second wave of Israeli hostages, Haaretz reported.

The terror group said it was stalling due to Israel’s “non-compliance” with the terms of the cease-fire deal, claiming that the number of aid trucks that reached northern Gaza on Saturday was only half of what was promised – a claim that Israel dismissed.

At least 70 aid trucks carrying food, water, fuel and medical supplies entered the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing Saturday, a border crossing spokesperson told CNN. The aid included 150,000 liters of fuel and four trucks with natural gas for cooking as part of the cease-fire agreement, which will allow 200 aid trucks into the war-torn region.

The excruciating negotiations came on the second day of a four-day cease-fire between the terror group and the Israeli government, and stalled the release of the 39 Palestinian prisoners set to be given in exchange for the 17 hostages abducted in Hamas’ vicious raid on Oct. 7.

“This is manipulation by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar,” former hostage negotiator Yaron Blum told the Times of Israel.

The Israeli hostages released Saturday were identified as Shoshan Haran, 67, Adi Shoham, 38, Yahel Shoham, 3, Naveh Shoham, 8, Shiri Weiss, 53, Noga Weiss, 18, Maya Regev, 21, Hila Rotem, 13, Emily Hand, 9, Noam Or, 17, Alma Or, 13, Noam Avigdori, 12, and Sharon Avigdori, 52.

Four Thai nationals — Natthaphon Onkaew, Khomkrit Chombua, Anucha Angkaew and Manee Jirachat – were identified early Sunday morning, according to the Times of Israel.

Israel received the list of hostages set to be released Sunday from Qatar and notified their families, the outlet reported early Sunday morning.

In other developments Saturday:

• Qatar hopes to extend the Israel-Hamas cease-fire past the initial four days and “get into more serious discussions about the rest of the hostages,” Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told CNN Saturday. He could not confirm if any Americans would be released Sunday.

• Shoppers thronged central Gaza’s Nuseirat market as war-weary civilians stocked up on food supplies on the second day of the ceasefire with Israel, according to video captured by photojournalist Attia Darwish. Food and beverage prices in the war-torn Gaza Strip have jumped 10 percent over the last month, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said, while vegetable prices skyrocketed by 32 percent.
• President Biden called Qatar Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to urge a speedy resolution of the hostage delay, a National Security Council spokesperson told the Times of Israel. Biden, in Nantucket for the holiday weekend, ignored shouted questions about the American captives still in custody as he went Christmas shopping with family members.
• A would-be suicide bomber is among the convicted Palestinian prisoners being released from Israeli custody in exchange for the second group of hostages. Israa Jaabis was arrested in 2015 after detonating a gas canister in her car during a traffic stop as she headed to an intended suicide bombing, the Times of Israel reported.

• A container ship owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer was targeted by a suspected Iranian drone while it was traveling through international waters in the Indian Ocean, a US defense official said. No crew members of the CMA CGM Symi were injured in the attack, but the ship suffered some damage when the drone exploded. Ofer recently resigned from the board of Harvard’s Kennedy School to protest its lukewarm response to the Oct. 7 massacre.
• Poignant photos and videos emerged of the first round of hostage releases reuniting with their loved ones nearly two months after they were abducted.
• Thousands of pro-Palestinian marchers descended on central London to call for a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, holding signs that read “Stop the War on Gaza” and “Ceasefire Now!”

No American citizens were expected to be included in Saturday’s hostage release, a US official told CNN.

“The President secured the release of two American citizens as the pilot to this larger release of hostages,” the White House official said. “We are early in the process … We are hopeful that will include three dual national women and children, who are American citizens.”

Tearful reunions

Heartbreaking details of the released hostages’ experiences in captivity began to emerge Saturday as the first group of 24 hostages freed on Friday, including 13 Israeli women and children, were reunited with their families.

Some of the hostages were given only rice to eat during the last two weeks as food stores in Gaza ran low, Channel 12 reported. Others said that Gazans threw rocks at their Red Cross vans as they departed, making them fear for their safety in the final moments before returning home.

Ruti Monder, 78, learned of her son Roy’s killing during her captivity over the radio, she told tearful loved ones on Friday, the Times of Israel said.

Video footage showed Ruti’s daughter, Keren Monder, learning that her father, 78-year-old Avraham, was also a hostage – evidence that the Israeli captives were being held in separate locations.

“So he wasn’t murdered,” Keren, 55, could be heard saying.

But Hannah Katzier, 77, only discovered that her husband had been slain and her son abducted after her own 49-day ordeal.

Rami Katzier, 79, was killed by Hamas terrorists in the family’s safe room on Oct. 7, the Times of Israel reported. Son Elad remains in captivity.

A series of photos issued by the Israel Defense Forces showed their heartwarming efforts to prepare for the arrival of dozens of children held captive in dire conditions for nearly seven weeks.

Child-sized sets of noise-canceling headphones waited for the youngsters in a transport helicopter, while teddy bears, stickers, toys and oversized pillows were ready for them in a holding facility where they will be checked by medical personnel before being reunited with their waiting families.

Earlier Saturday, negotiations had been underway to extend the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas “by a day or two,” Israel’s Channel 12 reported, citing a report from Egypt’s Al-Cahra Al-Akhbariya channel.

“Egypt has received positive indications from all sides to extend the cease-fire,” the report allegedly said

The four-day temporary truce agreement stipulates that the pause can be extended for one further day for each additional 10-hostage group returned to Israel, the Times of Israel reported – but the status of the negotiation was unclear amid the delay in Saturday’s hostage release.

Hamas has located an additional 10 to 20 hostages that it could potentially free, Haaretz reported – while Israeli officials estimated that Hamas has ready access to around 30 more hostages, in addition to the 50 included within the current negotiation terms.

Separately, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said the Israeli military has no intention of ceasing its war against Hamas – and is using the halt in hostilities to “study, to better prepare our abilities and also to rest a little.”

“We do not intend, do not want, and are not ready to stop this effort before we return all the hostages,” Halevi told a group of soldiers Saturday, adding that the IDF’s intense attacks on Gaza had made the hostage deal possible. “It is our moral duty to bring them back.” .