Ceasefire in Gaza Begins as First Israeli Hostages Released
A fragile ceasefire in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip has taken effect, marked by the release of the first three Israeli female captives held by Hamas, Al Jazeera reports.
The release, confirmed by Israeli authorities Sunday evening, is part of a multi-phased agreement that also includes the release of Palestinian prisoners and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed that Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City and are now “in safe hands” in Israel. Red Cross vehicles were seen leaving the city’s as-Saraya Square after Hamas brought the hostages to the location amidst a gathering crowd.
In a parallel move, a Red Cross delegation was verifying the identities of 90 Palestinian prisoners at Israel’s Ofer Prison, who are scheduled for release as part of the agreement. The majority of these prisoners are women and children from the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The ceasefire agreement is slated to unfold in three phases, the first of which will last 42 days and will include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas of Gaza. A significant component of the deal also entails the delivery of increased humanitarian aid into the devastated enclave.
Hamas military spokesman Abu Obeida, in a televised address, stated the group’s commitment to the agreement, while also stressing that continued implementation hinges on Israel’s reciprocity. Obeida accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of previously blocking a similar deal over a year ago due to “malicious ambitions.”
Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel will continue to pursue its goals in the war, which include defeating Hamas and securing the release of all remaining hostages. However, the ceasefire has led to dissent within his own government, with far-right legislators, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, resigning in protest.
The United Nations and world leaders have welcomed the ceasefire, with outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden stating, “guns in Gaza have gone silent.” Thousands of Palestinians celebrated the long-awaited truce, hopeful that it will alleviate the dire conditions in Gaza after over 15 months of deadly Israeli attacks that have killed at least 46,913 Palestinians and left thousands missing.
The released Israeli hostages are being taken to Israeli forces for identification before being airlifted to a hospital in central Israel. They will remain there for at least four days for medical and psychological evaluations and to reunite with their families.
The Israeli prison services have been preparing for the release of the hostages this week and Israeli forces have been as well. Around 250 people were seized during the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. About 100 captives still remain in Gaza. The exact number of those still alive is unknown.
In a separate development, hours before the ceasefire took effect, Israel announced that it had retrieved the body of Oron Shaul, a soldier killed in the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, whose remains have been held since then.
