“The lives of the hostages” in Gaza, including some German nationals, must “be the top priority” in negotiations for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, even if it is “painful for Israel”, declared Tuesday Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“After several months of agonizing negotiations, an agreement now seems within reach,” said the German leader in a press release sent by government services. Berlin understands “how painful any agreement with the terrorist organization Hamas is for Israel. Nevertheless, the lives of the hostages must now be the absolute priority”, adds Olaf Scholz, recalling that there are among them “many German nationals”. A ceasefire would “finally relieve the suffering in Gaza”, concludes -he.
Germany estimated in September that at least ten hostages with German nationality were still being held in the Palestinian territory. After months of unsuccessful attempts to obtain a truce between Hamas and Israel, mediation efforts by Egypt, the United States and Qatar appear to be on track to succeed. According to Israeli media and sources close to the negotiations, 33 hostages would be released in a first phase of the ceasefire.
In exchange, around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would be released, according to sources close to Hamas. In total, 251 people were kidnapped during the attack on October 7, 2023, which led to the death of 1,210 people on the Israeli side, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data.
At least 46,645 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Israeli military campaign of retaliation in Gaza, according to data from the Hamas government’s Health Ministry, deemed reliable by the UN.
“The lives of the hostages” in Gaza, including some German nationals, must “be the top priority” in negotiations for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, even if it is “painful for Israel”, declared Tuesday Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“After several months of agonizing negotiations, an agreement now seems within reach…
