Isreal & Gaza Ceasefire
Banah News Online
90 Palestinians released by Israel after first day of Gaza ceasefire
The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza came into effect Sunday, halting more than 15 months of devastating war. Early Monday, the Israeli Prison Service released 90 Palestinians outside Ofer Prison in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The release came hours after three Israeli hostages were released by Hamas.
Hamas had released the hostages, the first of 33 set to be returned to Israel during a six-week break in hostilities, to the International Committee of the Red Cross, who handed them off to the Israeli military. The 90 Palestinians — who were expected to be women and children — freed from Israeli prisons are the first of 734 expected to be released.
The ceasefire was delayed by almost three hours on Sunday when Hamas failed to provide the list of the hostages it would release on the first day. During that delay, Gaza’s Civil Defense said, at least 19 people were killed as Israeli warplanes carried out strikes across the Gaza Strip. The names eventually were provided. The ceasefire has appeared to hold, with no reports of fighting.
