Second Israel-Hamas prisoner swap will happen in November, Palestinian source says
Israel would free a total of 300 Palestinian prisoners in the two exchanges
22 November 2023 - 16:49
bySamia Nakhoul
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A view shows an opening of what the Israeli army says is a Hamas tunnel shaft, amid the ongoing ground operation of the Israeli army against Palestinian terror group Hamas, in a location given as Gaza, in this still image obtained from a handout video released November 22 2023. Picture: ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS.
Dubai — The Israel-Hamas deal agreed to on Wednesday for the freeing of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, will be repeated later in November, a Palestinian official said.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that that would mean a total release of 100 of the approximately 240 people Hamas seized during its October 7 killing spree in southern Israel.
In return, Israel would free a total of 300 Palestinian prisoners in the two exchanges — a number corresponding to a list of women and teenaged male inmates it published on Wednesday as candidates.
A part of the current deal, which is due to begin on Thursday, Israel will pause its almost seven-week-old Gaza war to enable both the staggered recovery of the 50 hostages — all of them women or children — and entry of aid for Palestinians.
“The second batch will follow the first batch. They would need four or five days to organise; it will involve 50 Israeli [hostages] in return for 150 Palestinian [prisoners],” the Palestinian official said. He said the prisoners would include the elderly, women and children and the conditions would be the same.
Israeli officials did not immediately confirm this. But Israel has offered, in a cabinet statement, to extend the pause by a day for every additional 10 hostages handed over by Hamas.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Second Israel-Hamas prisoner swap will happen in November, Palestinian source says
Israel would free a total of 300 Palestinian prisoners in the two exchanges
Dubai — The Israel-Hamas deal agreed to on Wednesday for the freeing of 50 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, will be repeated later in November, a Palestinian official said.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that that would mean a total release of 100 of the approximately 240 people Hamas seized during its October 7 killing spree in southern Israel.
In return, Israel would free a total of 300 Palestinian prisoners in the two exchanges — a number corresponding to a list of women and teenaged male inmates it published on Wednesday as candidates.
A part of the current deal, which is due to begin on Thursday, Israel will pause its almost seven-week-old Gaza war to enable both the staggered recovery of the 50 hostages — all of them women or children — and entry of aid for Palestinians.
“The second batch will follow the first batch. They would need four or five days to organise; it will involve 50 Israeli [hostages] in return for 150 Palestinian [prisoners],” the Palestinian official said. He said the prisoners would include the elderly, women and children and the conditions would be the same.
Israeli officials did not immediately confirm this. But Israel has offered, in a cabinet statement, to extend the pause by a day for every additional 10 hostages handed over by Hamas.
Reuters
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