Delays have already affected the start of a four-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas aimed at allowing aid to Gaza and releasing dozens of hostages. The agreement was scheduled to take effect after nearly seven weeks of war.
The cease-fire was scheduled to begin at 10am (8pm Japan time) on Thursday, but the exact timing is unclear as Israel has not yet said when it will cease air and ground attacks in the coastal area. It remains unknown.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said the process for returning hostages from the Gaza Strip to Israel is complex and not yet concrete.
Hagari said late Wednesday that the military was preparing to implement the first phase of the hostage exchange agreement.
However, he said repatriation of those abducted to the cordoned-off coastal areas could take time and occur in several stages.
“The release (of the hostages) will begin in accordance with the original agreement between the parties, but it will not begin until Friday,” Israeli security adviser Tsashi Hanegbi said, according to the Times of Israel.
“Negotiations for the release of the hostages are progressing and will continue to progress,” he said.
The first exchange between hostages kidnapped in Israel and Palestinian prisoners of war was originally scheduled to take place on Thursday.
The Times of Israel quoted an Israeli official as explaining the delay by saying that for the deal to take effect, both Israel and Hamas must sign a document ratifying it.
Source: dailypost.ng