2:51 p.m. ET, November 25, 2023
Hostage Release Delay Resolved as Israel and Hamas Settle Dispute, Says Qatar
An impasse causing a delay in today’s expected hostage and prisoner release has been resolved through mediation, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson.
“After a delay in implementing the release of prisoners from both sides, the obstacles were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications with both sides, and tonight 39 Palestinian civilians will be released in exchange for the release of 13 Israeli detainees from Gaza in addition to 7 foreigners outside the framework of the agreement,” the Qatari spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, said.
Details on the individuals to be freed: The hostages set to be released from Gaza on Saturday include eight Israeli children, five Israeli women, and seven people from other countries, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, on the social media platform X. Further details about the foreign nationals were not immediately available.
The Palestinian prisoners set for release include 33 teenagers and six women, according to a statement by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society and the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Prisoners’ Affairs on Saturday.
The prisoners are mostly from the occupied West Bank, except for six from East Jerusalem, the statement added.
This post has been updated with details about the hostages and prisoners.
