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HomeWorldIsrael Releases 110 Palestinian Prisoners Following Ceasefire Deal

Israel Releases 110 Palestinian Prisoners Following Ceasefire Deal

Israel has released 110 Palestinian prisoners after receiving security assurances from mediators regarding the ongoing ceasefire-hostage deal. This decision followed chaotic scenes in Khan Younis during the handover of Israeli and Thai hostages.

Hostage and Prisoner Releases

According to Al Jazeera, the release of Palestinian prisoners was confirmed after the Israeli military verified the safe return of three Israeli hostages—one male and two female—as well as five Thai nationals.

Earlier, Israel had delayed the release of prisoners, stating that it would not proceed until the “safe passage” of hostages was guaranteed in future exchanges.

Israeli Government’s Response

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, together with Defense Minister Israel Katz, has ordered that the release of the terrorists slated to be released today be delayed until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is assured. Israel demands that the mediators see to this.”

Approximately an hour later, Israel confirmed that mediators had assured them of safe passage for future hostage releases.

“Pursuant to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand, the mediators have conveyed a commitment, according to which the safe exit of our hostages who are due to be released in the next phases has been assured,” the statement read.

The Israeli government also emphasized that lessons must be learned to ensure smoother exchanges in the future.

Chaotic Scenes During Release

During the handover process, there were reports of chaos in Khan Younis. The Times of Israel described scenes where Israeli hostage Arbel Yehoud was forced to walk from an Islamic Jihad vehicle to a Red Cross vehicle while surrounded by a jeering crowd. The convoy struggled to navigate through a mass of onlookers amid wailing sirens, with heavily armed and masked gunmen pushing away spectators.

Context of the Conflict

The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting more than 200 others. In response, Israel launched a military counter-offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian casualties.

Previously, over 100 hostages were freed during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.

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