First prisoners released in tense Gaza truce between Israel and Hamas
Hamas freed about two dozen hostages held in Gaza and Israel released nearly 40 captured Palestinians on Friday, completing the first exchange in a tense, temporary truce that halted fighting after seven weeks of war.
The ceasefire, reached after weeks of difficult negotiations with the help of Egypt, Qatar and the United States, had lasted several hours before it was announced that anyone had been released. Then came a flood of announcements from Egypt, Qatar and the International Committee of the Red Cross, helping to receive hostages after their weeks of captivity in Gaza.
The freed hostages included 13 Israelis, including several children, as well as 10 Thais and a Filipino – a reflection of the large number of foreign farm workers in Israel and the far-reaching impact of Hamas attacks on Israel last month.
Not long after these hostages were declared free, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that 39 Palestinian women and minors imprisoned by Israeli authorities had been released. It was expected that all hostages freed by Hamas would be quickly transferred to Israel for emergency medical care.
Israel has said it would extend the ceasefire by a day for every 10 additional hostages Hamas releases. Hamas did not respond directly to the offer, but its top political official, Ismail Haniyeh, said his group was committed to making the ceasefire work.
An extended lull in fighting would provide Gaza’s citizens with the first lasting relief after nearly 50 days of brutal bombing, which has destroyed homes, weakened hospitals and left more than two million people in desperate conditions.
But it would also allow both Israel and Hamas to improve their positions for the coming fighting. Hamas, which has been battered by Israeli bombings and ground invasions, could try to regroup its forces and fortify the places it has occupied. Israel may be able to gather new intelligence during the pause and thus plan for the next phase of the war. Israeli leaders have vowed to eradicate Hamas, and the group has said that “our hands will remain on the trigger.”
The prisoner exchange and the arrival of the largest aid convoy Gaza has received in weeks was cautiously welcomed by President Biden and caused waves of emotion in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. For some families, the tension erupted into relief and fear for those whose loved ones were not among those freed.
Hundreds of people gathered late Friday outside Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank, waiting for the release of the first group of Palestinians, and Israeli forces fired tear gas several times to keep people away from the gates.