Hamas deliberately delaying submitting hostage names for fifth exchange

Hamas is deliberately delaying the submission of the list of hostages to be released on Saturday, sources told the Saudi state-owned news outlet Al Arabiya on Friday.

The delay is allegedly in retaliation for what Hamas claims is Israel not adhering to agreed-upon humanitarian protocol.

Sources told Al Arabiya that Hamas informed the mediators that Israel had failed to enable the entry of mobile homes and tents into Gaza, had not provided the equipment needed to remove rubble, and had not provided enough fuel.  

Hamas called on mediators, especially Egypt and Qatar, to put pressure on Israel to ensure the implementation of the agreement, the report added.

Earlier in the morning, Hamas claimed on Telegram that not enough patients had been able to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment and that Israel was preventing field hospitals from treating the wounded.

The number of patients who left was, according to the terror group, only 120. Hamas said it has a list of 35,000 patients in “dire need of treatment outside the Strip.”

Aid trucks

Hamas also alleged that only 76 aid trucks entered the Strip and that there were no blankets or winter clothes.

The Rafah municipality said it was lacking 40,000 tents and shelter units. It also revealed that 40% of patients with kidney problems died due to lack of necessary treatment.

“Only about 10% of the humanitarian aid stipulated in the agreement has entered the Strip,” Hamas added.

The Hamas claims contradict reports from COGAT, which said that since the start of the hostage deal, over 12,000 trucks carrying humanitarian aid have entered Gaza.