Hamas Releases Additional Hostages from Gaza
The Red Cross reports that Israel released 183 Palestinians in a fourth round of agreed exchanges, coinciding with the return of three hostages from captivity in Gaza. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
West Jerusalem has released 183 Palestinians while three captives have returned to Israel, as reported by the Red Cross.
As part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, Hamas has freed three hostages from Gaza, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which oversees these transfers. In exchange, 183 Palestinians were released by West Jerusalem.
The latest releases on Saturday bring the total number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed under the agreement to 583 since exchanges commenced on January 19, with the number of Israeli captives released from Gaza rising to 18, the Red Cross noted.
Hamas initially released Israelis Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas. Shortly thereafter, American-Israeli Keith Samuel Siegel was released separately.
These exchanges stem from a ceasefire and hostage agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in mid-January, aimed at ending the 15-month military conflict that has devastated Gaza. The deal was mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US and is designed to unfold in three phases.
During the first phase, Hamas is set to release 33 hostages, including children, female soldiers, the wounded, and the sick, in return for an undisclosed number of Palestinians held by Israeli authorities.
Subsequent stages are anticipated to secure the release of remaining male civilians and soldiers held by Hamas, in addition to the return of deceased remains from both sides.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned what he described as “shocking scenes” during the handover of one of eight Gaza hostages, following the emergence of video footage showing gunmen struggling to manage large crowds gathering for the release.
Since the agreement on the truce, Israeli authorities have accused Hamas of breaching the prisoner swap arrangement and have suspended the return of Gazans to their homes in northern Gaza. Both parties have claimed violations of the ceasefire.
Israel's military reported on Thursday that it had killed 10 Palestinians in a strike on a village in the occupied West Bank the previous day, asserting that the attack targeted militants, according to AFP.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
As part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, Hamas has freed three hostages from Gaza, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which oversees these transfers. In exchange, 183 Palestinians were released by West Jerusalem.
The latest releases on Saturday bring the total number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees freed under the agreement to 583 since exchanges commenced on January 19, with the number of Israeli captives released from Gaza rising to 18, the Red Cross noted.
Hamas initially released Israelis Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas. Shortly thereafter, American-Israeli Keith Samuel Siegel was released separately.
These exchanges stem from a ceasefire and hostage agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in mid-January, aimed at ending the 15-month military conflict that has devastated Gaza. The deal was mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US and is designed to unfold in three phases.
During the first phase, Hamas is set to release 33 hostages, including children, female soldiers, the wounded, and the sick, in return for an undisclosed number of Palestinians held by Israeli authorities.
Subsequent stages are anticipated to secure the release of remaining male civilians and soldiers held by Hamas, in addition to the return of deceased remains from both sides.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned what he described as “shocking scenes” during the handover of one of eight Gaza hostages, following the emergence of video footage showing gunmen struggling to manage large crowds gathering for the release.
Since the agreement on the truce, Israeli authorities have accused Hamas of breaching the prisoner swap arrangement and have suspended the return of Gazans to their homes in northern Gaza. Both parties have claimed violations of the ceasefire.
Israel's military reported on Thursday that it had killed 10 Palestinians in a strike on a village in the occupied West Bank the previous day, asserting that the attack targeted militants, according to AFP.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
