How The World Reacts To Hostage Release In Gaza
A first batch of 13 hostages were released from Gaza on Friday, November 24, evening. They were captivated by the Hamas and released to Israel on the first day of the four-day truce, agreed by both parties in brokerage of Qatar. The released includes four small children, their mothers, and five elderly women. All underwent initial medical checks and were taken to be reunited with their families. As said by the medical authorities, they were all in good condition and were undergoing further evaluations.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the regime is committed to return all their abductees. These people were captured by the Hamas, an Islamist military outfit that governs the Palestinian region of Gaza, during the October 7 attack on an Israeli desert music camp.
אנחנו מחויבים להחזרת כל חטופינו. pic.twitter.com/4uMNP3skfN
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) November 24, 2023
“Children, their mothers and other women. Everyone is a world in themselves”, said Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday. “But I stress to you, the families, and to you, citizens of Israel: We are committed to bringing back all our hostages”, he added.
According to Qatar, 11 Israeli hostages – 10 Thais and one Filipino – were also freed under a separate agreement, Reuters reported quoting a Qatari mediator.
🇵🇸🇮🇱 Hamas release a video showing the release of hostages. pic.twitter.com/Ghy0Idz6AX
— Censored Men (@CensoredMen) November 24, 2023
“Today, as we celebrate the release of dozens of hostages, we remember all those still being held, renewing our commitment to secure their release”, said the US President Joe Biden on Saturday. He urged that the Washington will continue brokering the release of the left hostages: “We won”t stop until they”re home — I have no higher priority”.
Today, as we celebrate the release of dozens of hostages, we remember all those still being held, renewing our commitment to secure their release.
We won”t stop until they”re home — I have no higher priority. pic.twitter.com/zp28XuIE3X
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 24, 2023
On Wednesday, the Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan reacted to the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. He was addressing the virtual G20 Leaders Summit and expressed his hope that the ceasefire would pave the way for lasting peace. According to him, the declaration of a four-day humanitarian pause and reaching an agreement on the subject of exchange of hostages and prisoners, albeit at a limited number, is a positive development. “We hope that this step leads to the permanent ceasefire, which is our priority and which we expect to be declared as soon as possible – and peace”, Tayyip Erdogan added.
Çevrim İçi G20 Liderler Zirvesi”ne Canlı Bağlantı https://t.co/51GbUyPhWb
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) November 22, 2023
“It is very important that the humanitarian aid reaches timely and continuously”, said the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the G20 leaders to take action to prevent the conflict from further escalation. He also expressed the importance to ensure that the war was not becoming a regional conflict and welcomed the move to release the hostages. ”We hope that all hostages will be released soon”, he said. The Prime Minister reiterated the New Delhi’s take on terrorism, that it is unacceptable, and added that the civilian deaths happening anywhere must be criticized.
The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while addressing the press, supported the humanitarian pause, which he said is what Canada and others have been calling for, for weeks now. “This is an important bit of progress, but we have to redouble our efforts now to get toward a lasting peace”, he added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed his “shock” on the events in Gaza and asked, “but what about the bloody state coup in Ukraine in 2014, which was followed by the war of the Kyiv regime against their own people in Donbas? Is it not shocking?”
