Posted on 11/22/23
| News Source: Arutz-7
The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday night published additional details about the difficulties that led to the postponement in the implementation of the hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.
According to the report, while Hamas provided the name, gender and nationality of most of the 50 hostages it was supposed to release in the first phase, there was missing information about the fate of some of them.
In addition, the report said that Hamas did not officially sign the mechanism that would allow the release of the hostages.
Egyptian officials, who were in charge of communications with the Hamas leadership in Gaza, said they informed Qatar of the delay in the implantation of the agreement on Wednesday evening.
The head of the National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced on Wednesday night that the beginning of the release of the hostages being held by Hamas will be carried out in accordance with the original agreement between the parties, and not before Friday.
"The negotiations for the release of our hostages are progressing and continuing all the time," added Hanegbi.
An Israeli official told Kan 11 News that there is a 24-hour delay in the implementation of the agreement, because the agreement has not yet been signed by the other side - Hamas and Qatar.
"The Qataris informed us around 11:00 p.m. that Hamas has not yet signed the agreement and therefore there will be a delay in its implementation. We are optimistic that the plan will be implemented when the agreement is signed,” the official added.
The families of the hostages said they had not been informed about the delay in the implementation of the deal and learned about it from the media.
Earlier on Wednesday it was reported that Mossad Director David Barnea visited Qatar ahead of the fulfillment of the deal to release some of the hostages who are being held by Hamas in Gaza.