From the Liveblog of
Friday, November 3, 2023
US official: Israel okayed ‘trial humanitarian pause’ when Hamas freed 2 hostages on Oct. 20
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Israel agreed to a humanitarian pause on October 20 to secure the release of two American hostages from Hamas captivity, a senior Biden administration official reveals.
The administration official explains that negotiators needed to receive assurances from Israel and Hamas that the hostages would be able to travel safely for what was “not a short distance” to reach the border from where they were being held in Gaza.
“There was a time period for that, and it went… like clockwork to get them out,” the official says in reference to what they refer to as a “trial humanitarian pause.”
The senior administration official says a much longer humanitarian pause will be required if a deal is struck to bring about the release of 240 hostages.
A “framework to get the hostages out of Gaza…is very much ongoing,” the official says, without providing further details.
