Truce holds, but Houthis target more Israeli ships
Sandeep Dikshit
New Delhi, November 25
Hamas said it had decided to delay Saturday’s scheduled second round of hostage releases until Israel committed to allowing aid trucks to enter northern Gaza.
Israel had received a list of 13 Israeli Hamas-held hostages expected to be freed on Saturday in exchange for 42 Palestinian prisoners. The ceasefire with Hamas on the second day remained peaceful, but the Houthis attacked an Israeli ship with a suicide drone.
Unconfirmed reports said the Houthis had hijacked another ship owned by an Israeli billionaire even as Hezbollah made an abortive missile attack on Israel. The prospects of the ceasefire being extended by a few more days brightened after a Qatari delegation landed in Israel and Hamas reportedly said it could muster another 20 hostages for release.
If this happens, Israel could extend the ceasefire by a couple of days. The death toll in Gaza was 14,854, according to the local health authorities but the humanitarian situation eased marginally after 200 aid trucks entered Gaza.
The Israeli-owned ship attacked by Shahed-136 suicide drone in the Indian Ocean reportedly belonged to Idan Ofer, the fourth wealthiest man in Israel who owns 210 bulk, container and crude oil ships, according to Ansarullah, also known as the Houthis. The extent of damage was not known but there will be a massive increase in the insurance for the billionaire’s fleet. Five days ago, the Houthis had hijacked the “Galaxy Leader”, which is linked with another Israeli billionaire. Unconfirmed reports said the Houthis had on Saturday also hijacked a second Israeli ship identified as “Zim Launda”. The apprehension is strengthened because the Yemenis were tracking this ship. Both in Israel and in Gaza, local communities feted those released in the exchange. It was an emotional welcome amidst the rubble in Gaza as women prisoners released by Israel met their parents after years, some by over a decade.
In Israel, people who lived in the devastated “Kibbutz Be’eri” gathered in a hotel where they now live to receive news about the prisoner release.