Gaza, MINA – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced Monday morning the beginning of the process to release Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
The Israeli occupation army confirmed via the social media platform X that seven hostages had been freed and were being escorted to Israel by army and Shin Bet security agency personnel.
Israeli Channel 12 reported that the seven hostages were handed over to ICRC teams, while the remaining 13 living Israeli hostages are expected to be released at 10 p.m. local time (0700 GMT) from central Gaza.
According to Israeli I24 News, those already released include Eitan Mor, Gali Berman, Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Omri Miran, Guy Gilboa-Dalal, and Alon Ohel, who are currently en route to Israel.
Also Read: Hamas Denies US Accusations of Looting Aid Trucks in Gaza
US President Donald Trump announced last Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his 20-point peace plan, which aims to implement a ceasefire in Gaza. The plan includes the release of all Israeli captives in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, alongside a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the enclave. The first phase took effect on Friday.
The second phase of Trumpās plan envisions forming a new governing body in Gaza that excludes Hamas, deploying a multinational peacekeeping force, and overseeing the groupās disarmament.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 67,800 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, leaving the enclave largely uninhabitable.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
Also Read: Israeli Occupation to Construct Over 2,000 New Settlement Units in West Bank
Mina Indonesia
Mina Arabic
Mina Sport