UPDATE ON THE SITUATION – The Israeli Prison Authority said Monday morning that “90 terrorists” had been “released” from the Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank and from a detention center in Jerusalem.
The Israeli Prison Authority said Monday morning that “90 terrorists” had been “released” from the Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank.
For his part, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot declared this Monday, January 20 that Paris had not “no news” of the two French hostages in Gaza.
Le Figaro takes stock of the situation.
90 Palestinian detainees released by Israel
Israel on Monday released 90 Palestinian detainees a few hours after three Israeli hostages were freed by Hamas, as part of the ceasefire between the Israeli army and the Palestinian Islamist movement in the Gaza Strip devastated by more than 15 months of war. The truce came into effect on Sunday at 09:15 GMT almost three hours late, Hamas having delayed providing the list of three Israeli hostages to be released the same day. The movement reported “complications on the ground” and of “the continuation of the bombings”.
Late in the afternoon, a Hamas leader told AFP that “the three hostages” had been “delivered to the International Committee of the Red Cross” in Gaza City (north), then the Israeli army confirmed their arrival in Israel. They are British-Israeli Emily Damari (28) and Romanian-Israeli Doron Steinbrecher (31), captured at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, as well as Romi Gonen (24), kidnapped at the Nova music festival , during the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023 in Israel which sparked the war in Gaza.
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Under the terms of the agreement, dozens of Palestinian prisoners were to be released on Sunday in exchange for the three hostages. Shortly after midnight Monday, the Israel Prisons Authority reported that “90 terrorists” had been “liberated” of the Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank and a detention center in Jerusalem. Hundreds of people welcomed the passage of buses carrying the prisoners on a road from Beitunia leading to Ramallah, headquarters of the Palestinian Authority, brandishing Palestinian flags and others of various Palestinian political movements, notably that of Hamas, a observed an AFP journalist on site.
Paris has “no news” of the two French hostages in Gaza
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot declared this Monday January 20 on RMC/BFMTV that Paris had not “no news” of the two French hostages in Gaza the day after the first releases of hostages by Hamas. Asked about the fate of the two Franco-Israeli hostages Ofer Kalderon and Ohad Yahalomi, the minister replied: “No news. And this is indeed the tragedy of these massive hostage-takings of the October 7is that we have no news on their state of health, on their conditions of detention”.
Barrot recalled that men “are part of the list of 33 hostages who can be released in the next 40 days”adding that Paris had weighed in for them to be part of this list. “Eight of our compatriots were taken hostage this tragic morning (October 7, 2023, editor’s note). Two of them died, unfortunately. Four were released. There are two left, and we will be mobilized until the last hour”he said again.
China “welcomes” entry into force of Gaza truce agreement
China has “greeted” this Monday, January 20, the entry into force of the truce agreement in Gaza, effective since Sunday and which has already led to the release of dozens of Palestinian detainees and three Israeli hostages.
“China welcomes the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza »indicated during a regular press briefing Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that she hoped that “this agreement will be applied completely and continuously”.
