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Hamas Hands Over 3 Israeli Female Captives to Red Cross; Israel Blames Red Cross on Delaying 90 Palestinian Detainees Release

By
M Ashraf Siddiqui
19/01/2025
in

19 Jan. 2025

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas handed over three Israeli captives to Red Cross today, on Sunday under the first phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement signed in Doha, Qatar dated 15th of January 2025

The three captives were handed over by Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, at Saraya Square in central Gaza City, Anadolu News agency reported.

The Israeli army confirmed that three female captives are now in the hands of its forces in Gaza after they were handed over by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Israeli Daily Yedioth Ahronoth, reported that the three freed captives are in good health. Prof. Itai Pessach, Director, Children's Hospital at Sheba hospital in Tel Aviv confirmed that the hostages are all in 'stable condition', which he says now allows them to focus on the most important: reuniting with their families. 'We will continue to monitor their clinical condition, Pessach says, noting that this will take a few more days.

A large number of Qassam members and their vehicles gathered in central Gaza City during the handover process, according to an Anadolu reporter.

Israel’s Prison Service began Sunday to transfer 90 Palestinian detainees to Ofer Prison near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to be released under a Gaza ceasefire deal, local media said. However, until mid-night 1240 AM, The Times of Israel reported that Israeli Army blames Red Cross in delaying the release of 90 Palestinians.

Israeli Channel 12 said the 78 prisoners would be released to the West Bank while the other 12 to East Jerusalem. “They will only be freed after the arrival of the Israeli captives to Israel,” it added.

The list of prisoners to be released includes Khalida Jarrar, a leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and journalist Bushra al-Tawil, the daughter of Hamas leader Jamal al-Tawil, according to a joint statement by the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoner Society, and the Prisoners' Media Office.

The list includes 69 female detainees, 20 children, and one young, the statement said, adding that the set-to-be freed prisoners do not include any detainees from Gaza.

The Gaza ceasefire agreement took effect at 11.15 a.m. local time (0915GMT) on Sunday after a few hours’ delay due to Israeli accusations for Hamas of delaying the release of a list of captives set to be released. It was originally scheduled to start on 8.30 a.m. local time.

Nearly 47,000 people have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 110,700 others injured in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli war has left more than 11,000 people missing, with widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

BBC reported that as we've been reporting, three Israeli women hostages who were being held by Hamas in Gaza have now been returned to Israel.

About 251 hostages were seized when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023. It is still holding 91 captive, although Israel believes that only 60 are still alive.

Thirty three of the hostages are to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire, with the first three getting freed today. The IDF said earlier that throughout the first phase of the ceasefire (expected to last 42 days), three to four hostages will be released each week.

A Hamas official later told AFP news agency that the next hostage-prisoner swap will take place on Saturday 25 January. The remaining hostages are to be released during the second phase of the truce.

Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip for the last 15 months have created a severe humanitarian catastrophe, leaving more than 47,000 dead and thousands missing under the rubble.

Israel has intensified a military campaign since Oct. 7, 2023, targeting civilian infrastructure and leaving the region in ruins, according to data from Gaza's government.

More than 470 days of bombardment have resulted in 57,136 casualties, including 11,200 missing -- presumed buried under debris. The attacks have decimated civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and shelters, forcing tens of thousands to flee.

In addition to targeting 717 water wells, leaving Gaza without adequate water supply, the Israeli military has destroyed 88% of the area. The estimated cost of the destruction stands at $37 billion.

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