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Hamas' Delay in Releasing Israeli Hostages Is a Sign of What's to Come

(Ha'aretz) Amos Harel - A last-minute delay caused by Hamas on Saturday night, claiming Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement on the second day of the hostage return deal, should surprise no one. It was clear that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar would try to employ psychological warfare against Israel to maximize leverage. Qatar and Egypt pressured Hamas to keep its word and deliver the hostages as promised. The release of 24 more Israeli hostages is scheduled in the coming days. Israel promised an additional day of pause in the fighting, beyond the initial four days, for every additional 10 hostages released. Yet there are over 100 hostages that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will try to hold on to as negotiating chips for a larger future deal. In the West Bank, the release of dozens of Palestinian women and minors who were imprisoned in Israel, as part of the deal, was marked with mass celebrations led by Hamas, where victory rallies featured green Islamist flags.
2023-11-26 00:00:00
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