TEL AVIV, November 23. /TASS/. The radical Palestinian movement Hamas has decided to make last-minute changes to the agreement with Israel, which is the reason for the delay in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages, Israel's state-run Kan radio said, citing a source.
According to the source, David Barnea, head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, traveled to Qatar on Wednesday, where he was informed that Hamas wanted to make changes to the draft agreement. "The Qataris informed us [the Israeli side] <…> that Hamas still hasn't signed the agreement. It seems they are still discussing the issue," the radio station quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying. According to sources, the agreement cannot be implemented for at least the next 24 hours because neither Qatar nor Hamas has signed the final version of the agreement.
A source in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office pointed out that there will be no ceasefire until all parties sign the agreement, the radio reported.
On Thursday night, Israel's National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said that the process of releasing some of the hostages held in Gaza would not begin until Friday, November 24.
Earlier, the Israeli government approved a plan to return at least 50 hostages from Gaza within four days, during which a ceasefire will be imposed in the enclave. On the morning of November 22, the Israeli Justice Ministry published a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners who could be released as part of the deal. For the release of ten more hostages, Israel will cease hostilities for one day. According to the Israeli side, more than 200 people are being held by militants.