Families on edge amid delay in planned release of hostages held by Hamas  – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

Families of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza were on edge Wednesday as the planned release of dozens of hostages was delayed. 

Israel’s cabinet approved a deal on Tuesday to free at least 50 hostages during a four-day pause in the ongoing war with Hamas. Under the agreement, Israel must also release 150 Palestinian prisoners in a trade only for women and children on both sides of the conflict.

The deal is structured such that, each day, a group of hostages will be released to be taken to a designated border point. As of Wednesday, though, at least one official said releases are not expected to begin until at least Friday. 

“I was hoping for a Thanksgiving Day miracle and my hopes were dashed,” said Boston-area resident Jason Greenberg. 

Greenberg said five of his family members were taken hostage when gunmen stormed into southern Israel back in early October. 

Greenberg said two family members are now dead.

“I understand that this is the best deal that has been negotiated to date and that there is a delay, but there are 240 souls that need to be returned to their families,” he told 7NEWS. “So my hope is that, by Friday, hostages will start returning home to their families.”

With the planned pause in fighting also delayed, several explosions could be seen lighting up northern Gaza Wednesday.

Israeli leaders said their operations will continue until the pause begins. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war will also resume after the pause expires

“The war continues,” Netanyahu said. “We will continue with it until all our goals are achieved.”

Back in Massachusetts, Rep. Jake Auchincloss this week told CNN the recently approved deal is acceptable because it will bring hostages home. 

He continued, discussing the tenuous nature of ongoing negotiations.

“We should all be concerned that this deal could fall apart at any moment,” he continued. “The statecraft required to get here has been some of the toughest in modern memory.”

Waiting for releases, US officials reportedly have a certain list of hostages they believe will be released on day one. 

It was not clear as of Wednesday night whether any of the three remaining American hostages were on the list.

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