Iran's Support for Hamas Amid Hostage Release Negotiations
On February 8, 2024, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei held a significant meeting in Tehran with Khalil al-Hayya, the acting chief of Hamas, along with two other leaders from the group, as reported by Iranian state media. During this meeting, Khamenei declared that the people of Gaza had achieved victory against Israel and the United States in the recent conflict. The gathering was also documented through photographs, which depicted Khamenei alongside Hayya, Muhammad Darwish, the head of Hamas's leadership council, and senior official Nizar Awadallah.
As a crucial ally in its quest to counter Israeli and Western influence in the Middle East, Iran consistently supports Hamas in its ongoing war with Israel. However, this relationship has drawn criticism from the West, which accuses Tehran of inciting extremist violence in the region through its proxies, such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which have been designated as terrorist organizations by Israel, the United States, and other countries.
The backdrop of this meeting coincided with Hamas's recent release of three Israeli hostages, who had been taken during the group's surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. These individuals, Eli Sharabi (52), Ohad Ben-Ami (56), and Or Levi (34), were first handed over to the Red Cross and subsequently transferred to the Israeli military, marking a significant moment in the protracted conflict.
The hostages had endured a harrowing 491 days in captivity, with their release raising alarm regarding their physical and mental health. Prior to their transfer, the released hostages were paraded on stage before a crowd in Gaza, a move that drew condemnation from Israeli officials. "The shocking images we saw today will not pass without response," stated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
Medical assessments from the hospital treating the hostages indicated that Levy and Sharabi were in poor condition, while Ben-Ami faced severe nutritional challenges. In light of the troubling images, the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum labeled them disturbing, emphasizing the urgency of their campaign to recover all hostages. The Levy family expressed anguish over Or's condition, describing the toll of his 491 days in captivity as evidence of the horror he faced at the hands of Hamas.
With this latest development, a total of 73 out of the 251 hostages taken during the October attack remain in Gaza, with the Israeli military confirming that 34 of those abducted are now presumed dead.
In a reciprocal move for the released hostages, Israel is set to release 183 Palestinian prisoners, 18 of whom are serving life sentences. As of February 8, Israeli authorities had initiated the process of releasing dozens of Palestinians from custody. This exchange was part of a truce and hostage release agreement brokered on January 15, after extensive negotiations. The deal represents the initial phase of a multi-stage process aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing 15-month-long conflict in Gaza.
This conflict erupted when Hamas, backed by Iran, launched an offensive on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the abduction of hostages. In retaliation, Israel has executed a relentless military campaign in the Gaza Strip, leading to a staggering death toll exceeding 46,000, according to health authorities in Gaza. The implications of these events continue to reverberate across the region, with significant ramifications for both local and international politics.
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