Biden Pushes For Truce Extension As Israel, Hamas Release More Hostages
According to the Israeli Prison Service, 39 Palestinians have been released by Israel as Hamas released 17 hostages including three foreigners as part of the cease-fire agreement.
US President Joe Biden backed the extension of the temporary four-day truce as agreed upon by Israel and Hamas as more hostages were release on Day 3. Thirteen Israelis, including a four-year-old Americal-Israeli girl and three foreigners were freed from Gaza, Hamas said. Meanwhile, 39 Palestinian prisoners were freed by Israel. Among the captives released by Hamas were 13 Israelis, three Thais and one with Russian citizenship.
Based on information that was received from the Red Cross, 14 Israeli hostages and three foreign national hostages have been transferred to the Red Cross.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 26, 2023
Biden said he hoped the temporary pause in fighting could go on as long as hostages were being released
Biden said a four-year-old American girl, Abigail Edan, who had had seen her parents being killed by Hamas in the October 7 attacks on Israel and has been in captivity since then had been released. Biden hoped for more hostages to be released.
Earlier in a post on X, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari stated: "In implementation of the commitments of the third day of the humanitarian truce agreement, 39 Palestinian civilians will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli civilians from Gaza, in addition to a Russian national and 3 Thais who have already been handed over to the ICRC."
In implementation of the commitments of the third day of the humanitarian truce agreement, 39 Palestinian civilians will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli civilians from Gaza, in addition to a Russian national and 3 Thais who have already been handed over to…
— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) November 26, 2023
Hamas said it released the individual in thanks for Moscow's position on its conflict with Israel, which erupted when Hamas terrorists rampaged across southern Israel on Oct. 7, murdering 1,200 people and evacuating 240 captives, Reuters reported.
As a result of that incident, Israel has threatened to eliminate the Hamas terrorists who rule Gaza, shelling the territory and launching a land offensive in the north. According to Gaza health officials, 14,800 Palestinians have been murdered and hundreds of others have been displaced.
The execution of a Palestinian farmer in the middle Gaza Strip had already raised worries about the fragility of Hamas and Israel's four-day ceasefire.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the farmer was slain when Israeli soldiers attacked him east of Gaza's long-established Maghazi refugee camp.
Israel made no comment on the claim, but there were concerns that it may imperil the third phase of plans to swap 50 Palestinian terrorist group captives for 150 Israeli inmates over a four-day period.
The truce, according to Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) chief Diaa Rashwan, is "proceeding without roadblocks." Rashwan said that 120 relief vehicles passed from Egypt to Gaza on Sunday, including two fuel trucks and two with cooking gas.
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