Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai hostages in Gaza yesterday and Israel began releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners after delaying the process in anger at the swarming crowds at one of the hostage handover points.
Arbel Yehoud, 29, abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz in the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, looked fearful and struggled to walk through the crowd as armed fighters handed her to the Red Cross in a tense scene in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Another Israeli hostage, Gadi Moses, 80, was also released along with five Thai nationals working on Israeli farms near Gaza when the fighters burst through the border fence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the sight of their chaotic handover was shocking.
He and Defence Minister Israel Katz said they had ordered a delay in the releases of the prisoners “until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is assured”. The prime minister’s office said later that mediators had committed to ensuring the safe passage of hostages in future handovers.
Later, buses arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying some of the 110 Palestinian prisoners to be freed as part of the phased agreement that halted more than 15 months of war in the coastal territory on January 19.
Women in traditional full Palestinian dresses ululated as buses carrying freed detainees arrived in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory, while men chanted “we sacrifice our souls and blood for you.”
Zakaria Zubaidi, one of the leaders of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas’ rival the Fatah group, was the most prominent Palestinian prisoner to be freed. He escaped from prison in 2021 with three other inmates but was then captured.
Zubaidi has always been known as the strongman of the West Bank city of Jenin, a hotbed of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation and site of frequent Israeli army raids, including a major operation just a week ago.
Palestinian health officials said at least 14 Palestinians were hurt by Israeli fire, some with live and rubber bullets, others from gas inhalation, as they gathered at the entrance to Ramallah to welcome the freed detainees.
Video footage showed Palestinians throwing stones towards police and then running away as police began firing.
Some prisoners from East Jerusalem had arrived at their homes while others, who were due to be taken to Gaza or deported to Egypt, had yet to reach their destinations.
The release in Khan Younis took place near the bombed ruins of Sinwar’s house.
&uuid=(email))