Egypt Daily News – The Al-Qassam Brigades handed over the first batch of Israeli prisoners scheduled to be released according to the agreement signed in Qatar between Israel and the Hamas movement, in Al-Saraya Square in the center of Gaza City.
The ceasefire agreement entered into force on Sunday morning, after 471 days of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, with the first phase of implementing the prisoner exchange deal between the Palestinian resistance factions represented by Hamas and Israel beginning at 4:00 p.m.
The agreement approved by the Israeli government shows that a total of 1,904 Palestinian prisoners will be released, including 737 prisoners held in Israeli Prison Service prisons, in addition to 1,167 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who were arrested during ground operations and are being held by the Israeli occupation army, and who did not participate in the events. October 7, 2023.
In its first phase, the deal includes the release of 290 life-sentenced prisoners. It also includes all 95 persons, including 87 female prisoners. The agreement consists of 3 phases, each lasting 42 days. The first phase includes the release of 33 Israelis detained in the Gaza Strip out of 98, whether alive or dead, in exchange for the release in the first phase of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The official spokesman for the Brigades, Abu Ubaida, said in a statement: “Within the framework of the Al-Aqsa Toufan deal to exchange prisoners, the Al-Qassam Brigades decided to release today, Sunday, January 19, 2025, the following Israeli hostages: Romi Gonen (24 years old), Emily Damari ( 28 years old), Doron Shtanbar Khair (31 years old).
The three detainees are considered civilians, and in exchange for their extradition, 90 Palestinian women will be released from Israeli prisons. A short while ago, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported, citing an informed source, that “the list of Israeli detainees is now being transferred to international mediators.”
The Israeli Channel 12 reported that Israel “received a list of the three female prisoners expected to be released today.”
This comes after Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari announced that the ceasefire will not enter into force in Gaza unless Hamas hands over to Israel the names of the kidnapped women who will be released today.
In implementation of the promises, the Israeli army spokesman announced on Sunday that “several targets were struck in the northern and central Gaza Strip with artillery and aircraft,” while sources reported that there were deaths and injuries in a bombing that targeted Beit Hanoun.
