Israel delayed the release of the Palestinian prisoners by hours after it demanded guarantees over ‘the safe exit’ of the captives in the next round on Saturday.
Hamas has released three Israeli captives and five Thai workers, while Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners, marking the third captives-prisoners exchange as part of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire deal.
On Thursday morning, the Palestinian group released Agam Berger, a 20-year-old Israeli female soldier, from the midst of the devastation in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip.
Hamas then released Israeli captive Arbel Yehoud and 80-year-old Gadi Mozes in the southern city of Khan Younis.
The group also released five Thai workers following reported intervention by mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States, as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Israeli demands
The release of Yehoud this week was a pre-condition set by Israel for the complete withdrawal of occupation forces from the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects the northern Gaza Strip from the south.
Israel was initially supposed to withdraw from the area last Saturday on January 25.
However, the withdrawal was delayed after Israel demanded the release of Yehoud, postponing the return of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Palestinians to their homes in the north.
The mediators then reached an agreement between Hamas and Israel on Monday.
Yehoud’s release also took place in a symbolic setting, outside of what used to be the house of the late Hamas political chief, Yahya Sinwar.
Sinwar was killed last October in clashes with an Israeli force in the Tal Al-Sultan area, debunking Israel’s past claims over him hiding in a tunnel.
Palestinian children among freed prisoners
On Thursday evening, Israel then released 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 32 serving life sentences, 48 with high sentences, and 30 children.
Their release came following hours of delay from Israel, after it demanded guarantees over “the safe exit” of the captives in the next round on Saturday.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then issued a statement saying that the mediators “conveyed a commitment” and assurances over the manner in which the next captives are released.
All captives released by Hamas in the current and previous truce deal were in good condition in a stark contrast to the Palestinians released from Israeli jails.
Israeli occupation forces frequently raid the prisoners’ homes before their release to ensure no public displays of celebrations, a common practice by Israel under its oppressive policies.
Gaza ceasefire deal
Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. succeeded in reaching the deal between Hamas and Israel on January 15 after more than a year of stalled negotiations. The ceasefire deal is split into three phases, each lasting 42 days.
A total of 33 Israeli captives and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released in the current phase, which came into effect on January 19.
Hamas has so far released 10 Israeli captives whereas Israel released 400 Palestinian prisoners from its jails.
The deal came after 15 months of Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed at least 47,417 Palestinians while creating a humanitarian catastrophe.
The figure is an undercount of the actual death toll with thousands missing and still trapped under the rubble.