Hamas, Israel to swap more hostages on Saturday
The exchange is part of a ceasefire agreement, which took effect on Sunday and saw three women hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners freed
Published: 06:01 PM,Jan 24,2025 | EDITED : 10:01 PM,Jan 24,2025
Gaza Strip: Hamas's armed wing on Friday named four Israeli 'women soldiers' it intends to release the following day as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, with Israel confirming it received the names shortly after. 'As part of the prisoners' exchange deal, the (Ezzedine) al-Qassam Brigades decided to release tomorrow four women soldiers,' said Abu Obeida, the spokesman for the the group's armed wing, on Telegram. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed it had received the names through mediators.
The exchange is part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza war, which took effect on Sunday and saw three women hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners freed.
The fragile agreement is intended to pave the way to a permanent end to the war in Gaza, which began with Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau based in Qatar, said; 'Tomorrow, Saturday, the four women hostages will be released in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners, as agreed upon in the ceasefire deal.' Naim also said that Palestinians displaced by the war to southern Gaza should be able to begin returning to the north of the devastated territory.
'An Egyptian-Qatari committee will oversee the implementation of this part of the agreement on the ground,' he said.
'The displaced will return from the south to the north via Al-Rashid Road, as Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from there in accordance with the agreement.'
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States after months of fruitless negotiations, should be implemented in three phases.
During the first, 42-day phase, 33 hostages Israel believes are still alive should to be returned in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The first swap, which took place on Sunday, saw the release of Israeli hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher.
They were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City by Hamas fighters surrounded by a large and chaotic crowd.
In the early hours of Monday, 90 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli jails, most of them women and minors.
Under that agreement, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26, while the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers deployed in the area.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, was to withdraw north of the Litani river in south Lebanon and dismantle its military assets in the area.
But Israel on Friday said its withdrawal would continue beyond Sunday.
'Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue in full coordination with the United States,' Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
The exchange is part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza war, which took effect on Sunday and saw three women hostages and 90 Palestinian prisoners freed.
The fragile agreement is intended to pave the way to a permanent end to the war in Gaza, which began with Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel.
Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau based in Qatar, said; 'Tomorrow, Saturday, the four women hostages will be released in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners, as agreed upon in the ceasefire deal.' Naim also said that Palestinians displaced by the war to southern Gaza should be able to begin returning to the north of the devastated territory.
'An Egyptian-Qatari committee will oversee the implementation of this part of the agreement on the ground,' he said.
'The displaced will return from the south to the north via Al-Rashid Road, as Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from there in accordance with the agreement.'
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States after months of fruitless negotiations, should be implemented in three phases.
During the first, 42-day phase, 33 hostages Israel believes are still alive should to be returned in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The first swap, which took place on Sunday, saw the release of Israeli hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Doron Steinbrecher.
They were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City by Hamas fighters surrounded by a large and chaotic crowd.
In the early hours of Monday, 90 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli jails, most of them women and minors.
Under that agreement, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26, while the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers deployed in the area.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, was to withdraw north of the Litani river in south Lebanon and dismantle its military assets in the area.
But Israel on Friday said its withdrawal would continue beyond Sunday.
'Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by the Lebanese state, the gradual withdrawal process will continue in full coordination with the United States,' Netanyahu's office said in a statement.