Hamas-Israel peace deal – Hamas releases first three Israeli hostages, as Israel releases 90 convicted Hamas terrorists
After 471 days in Hamas’ captivity, three Israeli hostages were released by the terror group, Sunday.
This followed a ceasefire deal cut by Qatar, the US and Egypt in the Qatari capital, Doha, earlier last week.
It was a tortuous trudge to freedom by the Israeli female trio of Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbecker as they alighted from a Hamas vehicle, surrounded by some armed Hamas militants, and received by the Red Cross before being ferried back to Israel.
They were the first set of hostages released by Hamas in exchange for a cease fire intended to run in three phases.
Meanwhile, Israel has freed 90 Hamas’ convicted members serving sentences in its jail houses made up of 69 women and 21 teenagers
Israel had demanded for the names of hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, when the jihadists stormed Israel in an unprecedented raid from water, land and air amid firing of scores of rockets into Israel.
Israel was caught unawares and lost no fewer than 200 lives while Hamas kidnapped more than 120 others and took them into Gaza.
The first ceasefire since Israel launched a reprisal attack on Hamas on 8 October 2023, lasted a few days before hostilities resumed.
The war, which snowballed into a multi-phase one for Israel, has claimed the lives of tens of Palestinians, most of whom Israel claims were Hamas members.
Several attempts at another ceasefire ran into problems with either party blaming it on the other party, with even the latest one merely escaping going the way of the others.
Hamas dithered over providing the list of hostages it intended to release, prompting Israel to threaten not to honour the ceasefire agreement until names of the hostages billed for release were provided.
Apparently acting in anger over Hamas’ attitude, its Air Force attacked several targets in Gaza, and the Army resumed artillery fire. One hour later, Hamas transmitted the list, compelling Israel to pause her operations.
