September, Friday 20, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister announces agreement to deliver medicine to hostages in Gaza


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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that an agreement has been reached to deliver medicines to Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The decision was made after families of the hostages, who had visited Qatar, highlighted the urgent need for important prescription medications. The delivery of medicines has not yet started, and it remains unclear how the transportation of these medicines will be carried out. It is estimated that around 105 hostages are still alive in Gaza, with Hamas having taken approximately 240 people prisoner in their October 7th attacks. However, Hamas released 105 hostages during a six-day ceasefire in November, and it is believed that at least 25 hostages have died. Both Hamas and Israel have expressed a willingness to allow the medicines to reach the hostages, and mediators are working with international NGOs to determine the required medications, quantities, and delivery methods. The statement from the Israeli prime minister's office states that the medicines will be delivered in the next few days. The agreement was brokered after David Barnea, director of Israel's national intelligence agency Mossad, approached Qatar for assistance. Additionally, discussions have taken place regarding the delivery of medical aid into Gaza, which would also cover the needs of the Israeli hostages. The Hostages Families HQ group, in a letter sent to the Israeli war cabinet after the ceasefire, highlighted the urgent medical needs of the hostages. They revealed that a significant number of hostages were suffering from underlying illnesses and required regular medical treatment, emphasizing the dangers of going without such treatment. Since the October 7th attacks, over 23,350 people, mostly children and women, have been killed in Gaza during Israel's retaliatory military actions, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel reports that approximately 1,300 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas attack.