Politics
Ceasefire in Gaza, Israel Releases 90 Palestinians

On Monday, January 20, Israel released 90 Palestinian detainees just hours after Hamas freed three Israeli hostages as part of a ceasefire agreement amidst over 15 months of war in the devastated Gaza Strip. The ceasefire officially began on Sunday at 09:15 GMT, though it was delayed by nearly three hours due to Hamas’s late submission of the list of hostages to be released.
The group cited “on-ground complications” and ongoing bombings as factors for the delay.
A Hamas leader confirmed to AFP that the three hostages had been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City.
Subsequently, the Israeli military verified their return to Israel.
The hostages included Emily Damari, a 28-year-old Israeli-British woman, 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher, an Israeli-Romanian, both abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and 24-year-old Romi Gonen, who was taken during the Nova music festival amid the assault launched by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Shortly after midnight on Monday, the Israel Prison Service announced that 90 detainees, labeled as “terrorists,” had been released from the Ofer military prison in the occupied West Bank and a detention center in Jerusalem.
Hundreds gathered to greet the convoy transporting the released prisoners in Beitunia, en route to Ramallah, the de facto seat of the Palestinian Authority.
Spectators waved Palestinian flags and those from various Palestinian political movements, including Hamas, as a jubilant crowd celebrated with tears of joy, embraces, songs, and fireworks.
“The wait was incredibly difficult. But with God’s help, we were certain that one day we would be freed,” said journalist Bouchra al-Tawil, who was imprisoned in March 2024 and was among the largely female contingent released.
“Destruction” in Gaza
Meanwhile, thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza attempted to return home amidst a landscape of devastation.
“We couldn’t even find the exact location of our houses due to the scale of the destruction,” lamented Maria Gad El Haq in Rafah, one of 2.4 million Palestinians, the majority of whom have been displaced by the prolonged conflict.
The ceasefire agreement, which coincided with former President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, has sparked hopes for a lasting peace in the Palestinian territories, although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel retains the right to resume hostilities if necessary.
The armed wing of Hamas stated that the continuation of the ceasefire relies on Israel honoring its commitments.
In the interim between the planned start of the ceasefire and its actual implementation, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza reportedly led to the deaths of eight Palestinians, according to local civil defense authorities.
Announced on Wednesday, January 15, by mediators from Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, the agreement aims for a “definitive end” to the war.
Under the terms, hostilities are to cease, and 33 Israeli hostages will be released in the first phase over six weeks.
In return, Israeli authorities have committed to releasing approximately 1,900 Palestinians during this time frame.
The ceasefire also stipulates that 236 Palestinians serving life sentences for attacks will be exiled, primarily to Qatar or Turkey.
“Stable Condition” for Released Hostages
The three young Israeli women released on Sunday were described by Netanyahu as having “gone through hell” after 471 days in captivity.
Daniel Hagari, an army spokesperson, indicated that “three to four women abducted” would be “released every week.”
A high-ranking Hamas official later informed AFP that the next release is expected next Saturday.
The former hostages, reunited with their families, were transferred to Sheba Hospital near Tel Aviv, where they were reported to be “in stable condition.”
At the “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv, thousands welcomed them back with tears, chants, applause, and embraces.
“Obstacles” to Humanitarian Aid
Minutes after the ceasefire took effect, which also includes increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, the United Nations announced the arrival of the first aid trucks.
According to Egyptian officials, the agreement allows for the entry of 600 aid trucks per day. By the end of Sunday, 260 aid trucks and 16 fuel trucks had reportedly entered Gaza.
“We are trying to reach one million people as quickly as possible,” said Carl Skau, the Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
During the initial phase of the ceasefire, negotiations will address the details for the subsequent phase, which is expected to enable the release of the remaining hostages, followed by discussions on the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of the bodies of hostages who died in captivity.
According to President Joe Biden, this first phase also includes a proposed withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas in Gaza.
The attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,210 individuals in Israel, mostly civilians, based on an AFP tally of official data. Among the 251 people abducted during that assault, 91 remain hostages in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead according to the Israeli military.
At least 46,913 people, predominantly civilians, have died as a result of the Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which the UN has deemed credible.
Following over a year of relentless bombardment by Israel, Gaza’s healthcare system has collapsed, with the World Health Organization warning on Sunday that restoring it will be “a complex and challenging task.”
© Agence France-Presse
Source: Defi Media