Transfer of medications to hostages from Qatar to the Gaza Strip - with the help of France
The process of transferring the medications began yesterday and is expected to be completed within next 24 hours • At the request of hostages' families, proof that the medications have indeed been handed over to their loved ones is expected
France was involved in the process of transferring the medications to the hostages, as was aired on Sunday's "This Morning" show on KAN public broadcasting. If there is no change, the process of transferring the medications, which began yesterday, is expected to be completed within the next 24 hours.
The head of Mossad, David Barnea, conducted the negotiations with Qatar, and eventually, precise lists of medications to transfer to the captives were finalized. At the request of the hostages' families, proof that the medications have indeed been handed over to their loved ones is also expected.
It appears the medications will not be delivered to the hostages by the Red Cross, due to Hamas' fear that the locations of the hostages will be exposed. Among the hostages, some suffer from chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and asthma, which are life-threatening without medical treatment. The Hostages Families Forum also demands a verified meeting with the hostages to check their health condition.
A senior Hamas official said the organization "thanks our brothers in Qatar for initiating the transfer of medications, some of which will be used by the hostages." Hamas, according to an Israeli source, has hindered the move for a long time, but the Qataris managed to bridge the gaps in exchange for medications to be used by Hamas.
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a recorded speech last night, projected on a screen at the hostages’ rally in Tel Aviv, in which he referred to the hostages with French citizenship by name.
"A hundred days have passed since Eitan, Erez, Sahar and Maya returned to us, but we mourn the death of Elia who was murdered by his captors in Gaza," he said.
"The French nation is determined that Ohad and Ofer will return to their children who have been freed; that Orion will be released, that all the hostages of the October 7 terror attacks will be released. France does not abandon its children, that is why the negotiations for their release must be repeated and renewed again and again. We must not surrender, we must never give up, because we cannot agree and we will never give up on any victim. We will do everything to bring everyone back home, to you."
Amichai Stein is a political correspondent for KAN 11.
