No Gaza hostage release before Friday, Israel, US say
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00:00 I don't know exactly, but Israel is blaming Hamas for this delay, saying that even at
00:06 midnight last night, Hamas had not ratified this agreement through the mediator, Qatar,
00:15 and they had also not given Israel a list of the first batch of at least 10 hostages
00:22 to be released.
00:24 And it appears that once the clock struck midnight, the Israeli government realized
00:29 this just wasn't going to happen in the morning, and so they announced a delay until at least
00:35 Friday, and that also pushed off the ceasefire, which was supposed to start in just about
00:40 one hour local time.
00:42 So we will see this war continue today with Israeli forces primarily working in northern
00:51 Gaza around the Jebalia refugee camp and continuing as the Israeli spokesman for the IDF.
00:58 The IDF said, focusing on tunnels.
01:01 This is a huge disappointment, not only for the families who were anxiously waiting to
01:07 see if they got that phone call that their loved one had been freed, but also for the
01:14 two million Gazans who were expected to see huge amounts of aid finally come into the
01:22 country, including fuel, fuel which was needed for everything from bakeries to hospitals,
01:30 to the sewage system, to the desalinization plants, for potable water, and just to have
01:36 a respite in what has been over six weeks of intense, also bombing campaigns.
01:46 So everyone is hoping, and there's no indication that the deal's going to fall apart, but everyone
01:54 hoping that it can be wrapped up and completed so that tomorrow morning the ceasefire can
02:01 take place, can start, and that those first group of at least 10 Israeli women and children
02:09 can be freed.
02:10 And we expect once it begins, we'll see every day at least 10 women and children freed for
02:17 the duration of the four day ceasefire, with an option for that to be extended if Hamas
02:25 decides to turn over more hostages.
02:27 And on the Israeli side, we'll see 150 Palestinian women and minors convicted of security offenses
02:34 freed as well.
02:35 They will return to the West Bank, to East Jerusalem.