In the first phase of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, three Israeli hostages were released by Hamas. The hostages were women: Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher. In exchange for the hostages, Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The ceasefire began at 11:15 am Gaza time, almost three hours later than planned.
The 90 Palestinian prisoners were sent from an Israeli prison in two buses to Beitunia, a town in the occupied West Bank. The region echoed with cheers as Palestinians celebrated the release of their fellow citizens.
Delay in ceasefire causes concerns
An hour before the ceasefire deadline, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the deal would not begin unless Hamas provided a list of hostages it would release. Hamas later explained that the delay was due to “technical and field reasons” but reaffirmed its commitment to phase one of the deal.
Continued Israeli attacks on Gaza
Even though there was a ceasefire agreement, Israel’s military continued to carry out airstrikes on Gaza. These airstrikes caused the deaths of eight people and left 25 others injured. The Israeli Army said they would respond if Hamas didn’t follow the terms of the ceasefire. Earlier, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) started pulling out of the Rafah area in Gaza, which is part of the plan to end the war that has lasted for 15 months.
The ongoing impact of the conflict
Since the war began, nearly 47,000 Palestinians have died, according to the Gaza health ministry. The latest Israeli airstrikes have claimed the lives of over 70 more Palestinians, showing that the violence continues despite the ceasefire efforts.