On November 25, with several twists and turns that saw a Qatari plane arrive in Israel to complete negotiations with Hamas, which had stalled due to humanitarian aid in Gaza, the prisoners were released. The Qatari Foreign Ministry said: “After a delay in implementing the release of prisoners on both sides, obstacles have been overcome through Qatari-Egyptian communications with both sides, and 39 Palestinian prisoners will be released tonight in exchange of the release of 13 Israeli prisoners from Gaza as well as 7 foreigners outside the framework of the agreement”. Released at Rafah crossing. On November 26, Qatar’s Deputy Minister for International Cooperation arrived with a Qatari delegation to the Gaza Strip.
On November 27th there were three different moments for the release of the prisoners, one of which was not negligible in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, where Israel, according to Gallant, had said it had control while Hamas released the second from here. group of prisoners, as per agreements with Israel. Among these, Hamas underlined that it also released a Russian one as per agreements with Putin.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper: “Estimates indicate that the majority of Israeli prisoners released on November 26 were held in the northern Gaza Strip.”
On the first day, 39 Palestinian prisoners were released, 13 Israeli prisoners and 7 foreign prisoners. Another 39 released in the second round and another 39 released in the third round. In exchange for 13 Israelis each time. Numerous clashes have taken place since November 25 between Israeli police forces and Palestinian families over their release. On November 26, the Red Crescent reported 21 injuries in front of the “Ofer” prison, west of Ramallah, of which 7 were caused by bullets, 4 injured by rubber bullets and 10 injured by tear gas. And while the prisoner exchange machine was in operation with all its complexities, Israel went to the West Bank to hunt for the perpetrators of the Hamas attacks against the Israelis: it carried out arrests in the Jenin camp, five Palestinians also died and 15 injured. On the morning of the 26th, Israel announced “that it had arrested the perpetrator of the Hawara operation last August, which led to the killing of settlers.”
Israeli sources also report that the government’s Finance Minister, Smotrich, has decided to increase the amount of 200 million shekels in the budget to expand settlements in the West Bank, and 35 million shekels to establish preparatory schools for military service in settlements, random settlement outposts, and other funds to prevent Palestinian construction in Area C and encourage settlers to immigrate. In Lod, Ramla and Acre.
The exact same modality will be seen on the 26th and 27th in different areas of Hebron: Qurna in the city of Surif, Arroub field, north of Hebron; city of Bani Naim; and again in Nablus in the city of Aqraba south-east of Nablus; Hussam al-Nabulsi between the new and old Askar camps; center of the old Askar camp. And in Ramallah Jalazoun camp, Beitunia city west of Ramallah, massive arrest campaign in the village of Kafr Ni’ma, west of Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, in Budrus, northwest of Ramallah. Attacked by Israel Aqabat Jabr camp in Jericho. In total, 52 Palestinians were arrested.
Gaza Mayor Yahya al-Sarraj told Al Jazeera on November 26: “The suffering is still severe throughout the sector and we have not received sufficient quantities of fuel. We demand fuel delivery to the Gaza Strip today, not tomorrow, and Israel is obstructing the delivery process. We have to open the roads and this requires the availability of fuel. A small number of humanitarian trucks have arrived in northern Gaza. We expect 200 trucks to arrive in northern Gaza today (November 26th ed.). Around 700,000 people in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip need services. We demand the provision of food, water, fuel and electricity to the Gaza Strip. We need fuel to run the wells and food for Gaza City and the Northern Strip. We warn against the spread of epidemics and diseases. Some citizens trying to reach their homes in Tal al-Hawa are exposed to gunfire. Israel prevents people from returning to their homes and inspecting them.”
On November 26, 100 vehicles loaded with humanitarian aid entered Gaza.
The Israeli-Palestinian issue also saw pros and cons clashing at the White House over the weekend. According to the Washington Post, 20 White House staffers have asked to meet with Biden’s senior advisors to discuss Gaza. The impact of Israel’s war on Gaza on the White House is greater than any other issue during Biden’s presidency. The war in Gaza has damaged the United States’ position globally.
Again according to the Washington Post “Netanyahu cares about political considerations and we need someone to make the right decisions. American officials believe that Samotrich and Ben Gvir have a worrying influence on the Netanyahu government. In recent weeks, Biden has taken a tougher approach toward Israel, both secretly and publicly.” “Biden has strongly criticized Netanyahu regarding civilian casualties and settler violence in the West Bank. We are concerned as the prolonged conflict in Gaza increases political and diplomatic pressure on Biden. We fear that Israel will not show restraint when it moves its operations to the southern Gaza Strip.”
The Wall Street Journal instead talks about the extension of the truce: “Negotiators hope to extend the truce in Gaza for 4 days with the release of another 40-50 hostages”. And while American news broadcasts reported that Biden and Netanyahu discussed ending the fighting and increasing additional humanitarian aid to Gaza, on November 27 John Kirby on CNN: “We hope that Hamas will agree to extend the truce so as to be able to extract more prisoners”
The extension of the ceasefire in Gaza by another four days was also widely discussed on the Islamic resistance and Islamic Jihad chats. Islamic Jihad leader Daoud Shehab told Al Jazeera on November 26: “The extension of the humanitarian truce in Gaza is subject to evaluation by the Palestinian resistance, and all steps taken by the resistance are subject to evaluation , study and coordination. We are committed more than anything to the interests of the Palestinian people and seek to stop the war and address the displacement plan. We must provide clear guarantees that Israeli violations will not be repeated and we will not allow the occupation to change the conditions of Palestinian resistance.”
On November 26, AFP stated that a source close to Hamas: “The movement has informed mediators that the resistance factions have agreed to extend the current truce from two to four days.” The Hamas leadership later issued several statements: “ We seek to extend the truce after the end of the four-day period, through serious research to increase the number of released prisoners.” And again Hamas Leader Khalil Al-Hayya: “We are serious about reaching a global agreement on the exchange of prisoners , and that requires a complete ceasefire.”
And again on November 27, Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi commented on the extension of the truce to the Quds network: “We insist that this takes place under adequate conditions, including the provision of hospitals, bakeries and nurseries with fuel, supplies and all basic necessities necessity. The mediators are pushing in this direction, but the enemy’s steps falter due to internal considerations and he cannot. The government of Israel has brought together its political and military components and was only concerned with keeping the government united in spirit of revenge for not having faced the deserved failure”.
The Israeli president told CNN: “If 10 Israeli prisoners are released every day, there will be one more day of humanitarian truce.”
Fatah: “The release of any Palestinian prisoner is an advantage. It is necessary to find a comprehensive and permanent cessation of Israeli aggression. The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory and we will not allow a single inch of our land to be cut down, despite the sacrifices.
Over the weekend the Houthis took control of another ship owned by an Israeli businessman called “Central Park”. As of November 26, the ship turned off its monitoring system after leaving the Suez Canal.
To confirm the news, the Embrey Maritime Security Company confirms the hijacking of the Israeli-owned oil tanker “Central Park” off the coast of Yemen. The newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth informs through the voice of the Israeli-owned Zodiac company: “Our ship hijacked off the coast of Yemen is carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid.” The Houthis said “they had taken control of an oil tanker linked to the Israeli occupation.” It’s probably Central Park itself.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
