The Head of State assured the relatives of the French hostages in Gaza that he was “mobilized to work for their release since October 7 (2023).” He also said “ensure the full implementation” of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
President Emmanuel Macron spoke by telephone with the families of the two Franco-Israeli hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, the Élysée announced this Sunday, January 19, while three Israeli hostages are to be released during the day.
“The President of the Republic wished to speak by telephone, on Saturday January 18, 2025, with the families of our two French hostages, Ofer Kalderon and Ohad Yahalomi, who have been living for fifteen months in an anguish that the entire French nation shares and who today are experiencing the return of hope”, indicates the presidency.
“The head of state assured their families that all state services have been mobilized to work for their release since October 7, in full coordination with the mediators and the State of Israel,” assures the Elysium.
“The hostages must be released as quickly as possible”
Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Ohad Yahalomi, 50, both have dual French-Israeli nationality. They are part of the list of 33 hostages released by Hamas as part of the ceasefire that began this Sunday, according to Paris.
In exchange for the release of these 33 Israeli hostages, the Israeli authorities said they would release 1,904 Palestinians within this deadline, 90 of whom should be released this Sunday.
-“All the hostages must be released as quickly as possible and the President of the Republic reiterated his solidarity with the Israeli people in this regard,” the statement said.
France will “ensure” that the ceasefire is respected
The Élysée assured that the head of state “rejoiced” that an agreement could be reached between Israel and Hamas after 15 months of war.
“France will ensure with its international partners the full implementation of this agreement,” assures the presidency.
Three young women, including a British-Israeli, are to be released this Sunday during the first exchange with Palestinian prisoners provided for by the truce agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The guns fell silent at 10:15 a.m. this Sunday, Paris time, almost three hours behind schedule, Hamas having delayed providing the list of three Israeli women to be released during the day.
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