In the on-again, off-again lead up to a resolution on Saturday, senior Hamas leader Osama Hamdan told a Beirut-based satellite news channel that a disagreement over how much aid Israel was allowing into northern Gaza was one sticking point and the reason for the delay. Another, he said, was Israel’s firing on Palestinians — an apparent reference to an incident on Friday in which Hamas says two people were killed and 30 wounded by Israeli soldiers.
Israel’s military has declined multiple requests for comment on the shooting. The Israeli prime minister’s office declined immediate comment, but an Israeli official told NPR that “Israel did not violate the agreement.”
I don’t know if you’ve been following the story of this family, but one of the videos from 10/7 that’s been aired a lot is the mother and her 2 children being captured. Yesterday there was a big event to push for their release. People released orange balloons signifying the red hair of the family members. The sister/aunt has been followed by reporters hoping to catch the moment she hears that the family is coming home.
One of the soldiers, the official added, felt threatened, as the men were at a distance of tens of metres, declared them “terrorists” and opened fire. Two were immediately killed while the third, wounded, returned to the building.
A cry for help was heard in Hebrew and the battalion commander ordered the troops to cease fire. The wounded hostage later re-emerged, and was shot and killed, the official said.
