Hamas announced on Monday that it will proceed with the next phase of its hostage release as originally scheduled for Saturday, January 25. The statement comes after earlier comments from a spokesperson suggested the release would take place on Sunday, a day later than agreed upon.
Four hostages are set to be released on Saturday, according to reports. Over the following four weeks, Hamas will release three hostages each Saturday, culminating in a final group of 14 individuals to be freed on day 42 of the ceasefire.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire earlier this month following 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip. The agreement aims to halt hostilities, facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas, and allow the return of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody.
Under the terms of the agreement Hamas will release hostages in phases, starting with women, children, and elderly individuals, while Israel will reciprocate by releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli forces will also withdraw from populated areas in Gaza as part of the ceasefire, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.
The ceasefire agreement, facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, also incorporates provisions to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Last Sunday, at the start of the ceasefire, Hamas released three Israeli hostages. In exchange, Israel freed 90 Palestinian detainees, including 69 women and 21 teenagers.
Hamas has released a video showing the three Israeli hostages smiling and seemingly at ease before their release.
The three women were given gifts including a “Gaza graduation certificate,” along with a transcript detailing their Arabic reading scores, a map of Palestine, and… pic.twitter.com/dtBl3A2yqT
— 5Pillars (@5Pillarsuk) January 19, 2025
Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem cheered and wept after 90 prisoners were freed by Israel in the early hours of Monday, as Hamas released three Israeli hostages on the first day of a ceasefire. pic.twitter.com/nXZwFln6F9
— DW News (@dwnews) January 20, 2025
Over 900 trucks carrying food, medical equipment, clothes and other relief materials entered Gaza on Monday, according to the United Nations.
Humanitarian aid trucks were seen entering Rafah in Gaza on January 19 as the ceasefire took effect pic.twitter.com/5EagljlgOx
— TRT World (@trtworld) January 19, 2025
