On Sunday, January 19th, the first day the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect, Hamas released the first three Israeli hostages, and in return, Israel also released the first group of Palestinian prisoners.
In Tel Aviv, thousands of Israelis watched live video footage on a big screen, showing the three female hostages walking out of a car surrounded by Hamas armed personnel and boarding a vehicle belonging to the Red Cross International Committee. An Israeli official told Reuters that the Red Cross confirmed the hostages were in good health.
In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, buses were waiting to receive the Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Hamas announced that the first group of released prisoners included 69 women and 21 teenagers.
Reports indicate that they were detained on charges related to Israeli security, ranging from throwing stones to more serious allegations such as attempted murder. Some were even detained for posting on Facebook, charged with spreading “incitement” content.
On Monday, as two large buses carrying detainees left the prison, celebratory fireworks lit up the sky. When the buses arrived in the West Bank city of Beitunia, hundreds of people cheered, honked horns, cried tears of joy, chanted slogans, waved flags, and some even climbed on top of vehicles in excitement.
According to the ceasefire agreement, both parties are required to cease hostilities. In the first stage of the six-week ceasefire, aid will be provided to Gaza, Hamas will release 33 out of the 98 Israeli and foreign hostages still held in Gaza, and Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
The start of the first stage of the ceasefire agreement was delayed by three hours. During this time, Israeli warplanes and artillery bombed the Gaza Strip.
Israel accused Hamas of failing to provide the list of hostages to be released on time, and claimed to have struck terrorists through the bombings. Hamas, on the other hand, stated that the delay in providing the list was due to technical issues.
After the gunfire ceased, Palestinians took to the streets. Some celebrated while others mourned their loved ones.
In Khan Younis, a southern city in Gaza, Hamas fighters drove through the streets as people gathered to cheer and pay tribute to the Al-Qassam Brigades.
A Hamas fighter told Reuters, “Although Netanyahu opposes (the ceasefire), all (Hamas) resistance factions have stopped. This is a ceasefire, a comprehensive ceasefire blessed by God, and even though he opposes it, the war will not be repeated.”
The ceasefire agreement was reached after months of negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, and took effect just before the inauguration of the newly elected US President, Donald Trump. Trump had warned that unless Hamas released hostages before his inauguration, there would be “hell to pay.”
Trump’s aides stated that Hamas will never rule Gaza.
Currently, with the ceasefire agreement in effect, there is no detailed plan in place to manage Gaza, let alone rebuild it. Efforts by Hamas to regain control of Gaza could jeopardize Israel’s commitment to the ceasefire.
Israel had previously stated that unless the radical groups controlling the enclave since 2007 were completely disbanded, they would resume hostilities.
On Sunday, Israel’s hardline Minister of Public Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, announced his resignation from the cabinet over the ceasefire issue, but his party stated they would not attempt to overthrow the Netanyahu government.
Another prominent hardliner, Bezalel Smotrich, the Minister of Finance, remained in the government for the time being but said he would resign if Hamas was not completely destroyed after the war.
Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, stated that if Hamas violated the agreement, the US would support Israel in taking “necessary actions.”
He said, “Hamas will never rule Gaza, its rule is completely unacceptable.”
Currently, Gaza City in the north of Gaza is in ruins, with streets filled with people waving Palestinian flags, capturing the scenes on their phones. Handcarts loaded with household items navigate through streets filled with rubble and debris.
Ahmed Abu Ayham, a 40-year-old resident of Gaza City, sought refuge in Khan Younis with his family. He expressed that while the ceasefire may have saved lives, the scale of loss and destruction left no time for celebration.
He said, “We are in pain, very much in pain, but it is a time for us to embrace each other and cry.”
In the hours leading up to the ceasefire agreement taking effect, trucks loaded with fuel and aid supplies formed long lines at border crossings. The World Food Programme stated that these trucks began crossing on Sunday morning.
Under the agreement, for the initial six-week ceasefire period, 600 trucks loaded with aid supplies are permitted to enter Gaza daily, including 50 trucks carrying fuel. Half of these aid trucks will be directed to the northern parts of Gaza, where experts warn of an imminent famine.
The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israeli towns and villages, resulting in 1200 deaths and the kidnapping of over 250 hostages.
The ensuing war devastated Gaza, with approximately 90% of the population displaced and the region turned into a wasteland.
(Reference: Reuters)