Israel ‘Evaluating’ List of Hostages as Hamas Demands Release of Adult Prisoners

Jerusalem, 27 November, 2023 (TPS) -- The Prime Minister’s Office is “evaluating” a list of hostages it received from Qatari mediators who will presumably be released tonight.

“Additional information will be issued when possible,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

The Tazpit Press Service has learned that Hamas is demanding the release of adult Palestinian prisoners in the next exchange, not just women and minors.

So far, both sides have signaled a willingness to extend the temporary ceasefire beyond the original four days.

On Sunday night, Hamas freed a third group of captives — 14 Israelis and three Thai nationals.

Elma Avraham, an 84 year-old woman who airlifted straight to Beersheva’s Soroka Medical Center and is now fighting for her life. Hospital director Dr. Shlomi Kodesh said Avraham was in poor health and did not receive proper medical care during her 50 days in captivity.

“Unfortunately, she is in life-threatening condition and is being treated in our Emergency Department. She will soon be transferred to the intensive care unit, where she will continue to receive stabilizing treatment to improve her medical condition. Her condition reflects a prolonged period in which she likely did not receive proper care. The lack of treatment has led to the situation we are now dealing with,” Kodesh said on Sunday night.

Also released was four year-old Avigail Idan, a US-Israeli citizen whose parents were killed in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7. US President Joe Biden had taken a personal interest in Idan’s release.

“She’s been through a terrible trauma,” Biden told reporters after the group was freed. “Today, she’s free, and Jill [Biden] and I, together with so many Americans, are praying for the fact that she is going to be all right.”

Also freed was Hagar Brodutch with her three children Ofri, Yuval and Oriya, ages 4-10 of Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Chen Goldstein-Almog and three of her four children, Agam, Gal, and Tal, ages 9-17, also of Kfar Aza were released. Chen’s husband and oldest daughter were killed on the kibbutz on Oct. 7.

Sisters Ela and Dafna Elyakim, ages 8 and 15 were freed after being taken captive from Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Their father, his partner and their older brother were killed.

Aviva (Adrienne) Siegel, 64, of Kibbutz Kfar Aza is a South African immigrant whose US husband, Keith, is believed to be held in captivity.

The framework for ceasefire prioritizes the release of women and children, but dual Russian-Israeli citizen Roni Krivoi was freed at the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was released at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt separately from the other hostages. Krivoi was working as a sound technician at the Supernova music festival.

Krivoi told his aunt he managed to escape his captors during an Israeli bombing but got lost in Gaza. He said Palestinians recaptured him four days later.

The names of the freed Thai nationals have not yet been released.

Currently, Hamas is believed to be holding 183 hostages, including 18 children and 43 women.

A temporary four-day ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization went into effect at 7 a.m. on Friday.

As part of the deal approved by the Israeli Cabinet on Wednesday, Hamas is to release 12 to 13 hostages each day of the truce. The release of every additional 10 hostages will result in one additional day in the pause in combat.

Under the agreement, the Israel Defense Forces is to refrain from using surveillance drones in Gaza for six hours each day of the ceasefire. Israel will also allow fuel to enter the Strip during that time and dramatically increase the volume of goods permitted into the enclave.

At least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on Oct. 7. Another 240 men, women, children and soldiers were taken back to Gaza as hostages. Some people remain unaccounted for as Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains.