Living Hostages And Palestinian Prisoners Are Released As Part Of Gaza Ceasefire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas released all 20 live hostages held in Gaza on Monday, while Israel began releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of an operation. Ceasefire pauses two-year war this punched areaIt killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and left many captives in the hands of militants.

Cheering crowds greeted buses containing prisoners in the West Bank, while families and friends of the hostages gathered in a square in Tel Aviv, Israel. he shouted with joy and relief When the news came that the captives were released.

The hostages, all men, were returned to Israel, where they were reunited with their families and underwent medical checks. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are expected to be delivered within the scope of the agreement, but the exact timing remains unclear.

Buses carrying dozens of released Palestinian prisoners have arrived in Beituniye, near Ramallah in the West Bank, and in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run Prisoners Office said, as Israel began releasing more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees under a ceasefire agreement.

While significant questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners has raised hopes for an end to the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group. The ceasefire is also expected to bring about the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. there is a famine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised in his speech at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, that he was “committed to this peace”.

US President Donald Trump He is also expected to speak in the KnessetHe will later attend a summit to discuss the issue. US proposed agreement and postwar plans with other leaders.

When did the war start Hamas-led militants launch surprise attack on southern Israel The incident took place on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 people were taken hostage.

More than 67,000 Palestinians were killed in the ensuing Israeli offensive, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which did not distinguish between civilians and combatants but said about half of the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-led government, and the UN and many independent experts consider the ministry’s figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.

The death toll is expected to increase as bodies are removed from the rubble that was previously inaccessible due to conflicts.

The war destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced nearly 90% of its approximately 2 million residents. It also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked protests around the world, and genocide allegations Israel denies this.

“A large part of Gaza is barren land,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday.

Families and friends of the hostages gathered in a square in Tel Aviv and cheered wildly as Israeli television channels announced that the first group of hostages was in the hands of the Red Cross. Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the transfers at public screenings across the country.

Israel releases first photos of released hostages; one of which was 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing as they reunited. Previously released hostages said the twins in Kfar Aza were kept apart.

Photos of the first seven hostages showed them looking pale but less emaciated than some of the hostages released in January.

Meanwhile, the Hostages Family Forum, a grassroots organization representing most of the hostage families, said the four bodies were expected to return to Israel on Monday. The group said it was “shocked and appalled” that so few people had returned.

Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons, said an international task force would work to find deceased hostages who were not returned within 72 hours.

Earlier, an armored vehicle flying an Israeli flag fired tear gas and rubber bullets into crowds in the Israeli-occupied West Bank as Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. The group dispersed as drones buzzed overhead.

The tear gas followed the circulation of a leaflet warning that anyone supporting what it called “terrorist organisations” risked arrest. The Israeli army did not respond to questions about the brochure obtained by The Associated Press from the region.

The released prisoners include 250 people sentenced to life imprisonment for attacks on Israelis, as well as 1,700 people captured in Gaza during the war and held without charge. They will be extradited or exiled to the West Bank or Gaza.

The return of the living hostages closes a painful chapter for Israel. Since their capture in the attack that sparked the war, news programs have commemorated their captivity and Israelis have worn yellow badges and ribbons in solidarity. Tens of thousands of people joined their families in weekly demonstrations calling for their release.

As the war dragged on, Netanyahu accused Hamas of intransigence, while demonstrators accused Netanyahu of dragging his feet for political purposes. Last week, under heavy international pressure and Isolation towards Israel increasesThe bitter enemies agreed to a ceasefire.

Trump arrived in Israel on Monday to speak at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President J.D. Vance said there was a good chance Trump would meet with the newly released hostages.

“The war is over,” Trump told reporters as he left; although the ceasefire agreement left many questions unanswered about the future of Hamas and Gaza.

The most complicated of these is Israel’s insistence. Weakening of Hamas disarmament. Hamas refuses to do this and wants to ensure that Israel withdraws its troops from Gaza completely.

So far the Israeli army has withdrawn from most of Gaza City, the southern city of Khan Younis and other areas. Troops are based in much of the southern city of Rafah, Gaza’s northernmost towns and a wide strip along Gaza’s border with Israel.

The future governance of Gaza also remains uncertain. Under the US plan, an international body would govern the region and supervise Palestinian technocrats who run day-to-day affairs. Hamas said the Gaza government should be dissolved among Palestinians.

Later Monday, Trump will travel to Egypt with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi He will lead a summit attended by leaders of more than 20 countries on the future of Gaza and the Middle East.

Mahmoud AbbasThe leader of the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority will also attend, according to Abbas’ judge and advisor Mahmoud al-Habbash.

The Egyptian presidency said Netanyahu would also attend, but the Israeli leader’s office later said he would not attend due to the Jewish holiday.

The plan calls for an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority, something Netanyahu has long opposed. But the authority that governs parts of the West Bank must undergo a comprehensive reform program that could take years.

The plan also calls for the establishment of an Arab-led international security force in Gaza, as well as Palestinian police trained by Egypt and Jordan. It was stated that Israeli forces will leave the areas as they are deployed. Approximately 200 US soldiers are currently in Israel to monitor the ceasefire.

The plan also mentions the possibility of a future Palestinian state, which is another starting point for Netanyahu.

This story has been updated to correct the fact that the cheering crowds greeted the prisoners in Beitunia, not Ramallah.

Magdy reported from Cairo and Lidman from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Truro, Massachusetts; Bassem Mroue in Beirut; Jalal Bwaitel in Ramallah, West Bank, and Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s war coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war