Israel releases Palestinian prisoners, after Hamas frees Israeli hostages in Gaza

Summary

Hamas has released three Israeli hostages, easing concerns over the future of the Gaza ceasefire. The hostages are now safely back in Israel, with live coverage available. In exchange, Israel is releasing 369 Palestinian prisoners, with some heading to the West Bank and the majority entering Gaza.

Hamas had previously announced that no hostages would be released over the weekend, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire. Israel had warned that it would resume attacks on Gaza if the hostages were not freed by midday Saturday.

While today's release is seen as a positive step, there are still lingering concerns among Palestinians about the stability of the ceasefire, according to our Gaza correspondent, Rushdi Abualouf.

Hamas says US must press Israel to abide by ceasefire

Hamas has issued a new statement calling on the United States to pressure Israel to adhere to the ceasefire agreement. A spokesperson for the group stated that Washington must urge Israel to uphold the agreement to safeguard the lives of hostages.

This comes after Donald Trump expressed support for Israel, stating he would back the country if it decides to resume its military operations in Gaza.

How do the releases happen?

The process begins with a phone call providing a location. Once the details are confirmed, a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sets out in vehicles marked with their logo to retrieve the hostages in Gaza. Israeli military and medical personnel are also stationed at various locations, ready to bring the hostages home.

As part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which started on January 19, 33 Israeli hostages are set to be released and returned to their families during the first six-week phase. In exchange, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners are being freed from Israeli jails.

Any mishap in the process could mean the hostages remain in captivity and potentially reignite the conflict. ICRC spokesperson Sarah Davies emphasizes, “This is more than just a drive. These operations may seem simple, but they are very complex and require rigorous security measures to minimize risks.”

The ICRC acts as a neutral intermediary in the handovers, assembling a team of experts, some of whom have been involved in similar operations, though this one is particularly challenging.

Watch: Released hostage learns daughter's name

We can now bring you this video of freed hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen reuniting with his family at an IDF facility near the Gaza border.

His wife, Avital, was pregnant when he was captured by Hamas in October 2023.

In footage published by the IDF, Avital tells him the name of their daughter who was born while he was in captivity.

Freed Israeli hostage reunites with family at medical centre

We can bring you an update now on Yair Horn, one of the three dual-national Israeli hostages released by Hamas earlier today.

The 46-year-old Argentine-Israeli has been reunited with his mother and brother - he arrived at a medical centre in Tel Aviv a little earlier.

His room in the hospital was decorated with merchandise from his favourite football team, Hapoel Beer Sheva.

Trump says US will back Israel's decision after hostage release

Former US President Donald Trump has stated that the United States will support Israel if it chooses to restart its military operations in Gaza. Trump posted on his Truth Social site, mentioning that the hostages “seem to be in good shape.” He also referenced a deadline of 12:00 PM, which he set earlier this week, for Hamas to release all hostages. The exact time zone for this deadline remains unclear, but Trump had previously suggested that Israel should act decisively if the deadline was not met.

Earlier this week, Hamas declared it would not release any hostages, accusing Israel of breaching the ceasefire terms. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the ceasefire would end if Hamas did not return the hostages by Saturday, creating confusion regarding whether all 73 hostages were to be released by today. The deadline for releasing all hostages was not part of the ceasefire agreement, but tensions have been rising throughout the week, raising concerns that fighting might resume.