Ceasefire holds as Israel and Hamas swap hostages
Israel received from Hamas a list of hostages to be released as part of the ceasefire, confirmed the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, verifying reports by Reuters. Thus, on Sunday at 9:15 AM Greenwich Time, the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect.
Israel received from Hamas a list of names of hostages who are to be released first as part of the ceasefire between the parties, Reuters reported, citing Israeli negotiators. The release of the women is set to occur on Sunday after 2 PM Greenwich Time.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the receipt of the list. As reported by Reuters, the families have already been notified about the details of the operation.
Ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas
The submission of the list of names was a condition for implementing the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. The agreement was supposed to come into effect on Sunday at 6:30 AM Greenwich Time (5:30 AM Greenwich Time initially planned), but Hamas did not provide the names at the agreed time. They did so with a delay, and as a result, the ceasefire agreement between the parties came into effect on Sunday at 9:15 AM Greenwich Time.
Hamas conveyed that as part of the exchange for Palestinian prisoners, three women will be released: Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher. The 24-year-old Gonen was kidnapped during the massacre on 7 October 2023, from the Nova Music festival near the Israel-Gaza border.
Emily Damari, a 28-year-old dual citizen of Israel and the United Kingdom, was kidnapped the same day from her apartment by Hamas militants. Doron Steinbrecher, a 32-year-old veterinarian, was also taken from an apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
Exchange of hostages for prisoners
According to a correspondent from the "Times of Israel," for each released hostage, Israel will release 110 Palestinian prisoners, while for an Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip, 50 prisoners will be freed.
Israel is to release 737 security prisoners, including many terrorists serving life sentences for murder, members of Hamas, Palestinian Jihad, and Fatah operating in the Palestinian Authority, as well as 1,167 Palestinians detained in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli Defence Forces' ground offensive, who did not partake in the attack on 7 October 2023.
The exchange of hostages is part of a three-stage agreement aimed at reducing tensions in the region. The Israeli military has prepared three reception points for hostages near the border with the Gaza Strip. The released individuals will receive medical and psychological assistance there and then be transported to hospitals where they will reunite with their families.
The agreement provides for a six-week ceasefire and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Negotiations are expected to begin within 16 days concerning the release of all hostages and the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Negotiations were conducted with the involvement of Qatar and Egypt. Hamas representatives provided the hostage names to Qatari authorities, which were then sent to the head of Mossad. The entire operation is closely monitored by Israeli services.
