During discussions in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, representatives from Israel , the US, Qatar, and Egypt reached a consensus on working to extend the current pause in the Israel-Hamas conflict to facilitate the release of more hostages from Gaza. The hope is that if the sixth day of the truce goes well, with Hamas releasing at least 10 Israeli hostages as planned, they may present an additional list of hostages for the following day, leading to another 24-hour extension. Negotiators are focusing initially on releasing women and children held by Hamas, with the possibility of extending the truce by two more days before addressing the release of men and soldier hostages. CIA Director Bill Burns participated in these discussions, aiming to broaden the categories of hostages to be released, including men and soldiers. There were also talks about retrieving the bodies of individuals killed by Hamas from Gaza.
The list of the sixth set of hostages expected to be freed has been given to the Israeli government, and families are being notified, two sources familiar with the matter tell CNN.
This will be the second release in the extension of the truce.
Another group of 12 hostages, comprising 10 Israelis and two Thai citizens, were released by Hamas on Tuesday, according to officials. Thirty Palestinians were also freed from Israeli prisons, officials said.
Ahmad expressed dissatisfaction with the prison conditions, stating that prisoners received only two meals a day, which he deemed insufficient, leading to many going to bed hungry. He also highlighted the inadequate communication between prison staff and inmates. representatives from Israel
According to data compiled by CNN from the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society and the Israeli prison authority, the Israel Prison Service, Ahmad had been under detention but had not been formally sentenced for any crime.
Nayef Slaimah, Ahmad’s father, expressed gratitude for his son’s release, especially since he had lost all contact with him since October 7. Mr. Slaimah shared the challenges the family faced during Ahmad’s imprisonment, emphasizing the inability to visit him while he was in prison.