4th Phase of Prisoner Swap Deal Done as Hamas-Israel Truce Extended for Two Days
The Israeli regime has released 33 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 minors and three women, as part of a prisoner exchange deal with the Hamas resistance movement.
The release took place early Tuesday, hours after Hamas handed over 11 foreign nationals, who had been held in the Gaza Strip, to the Red Cross. The freed captives were dual citizens of France, Germany and Argentina.
The Palestinian prisoners were transported by a Red Cross bus to the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah and the occupied city of al-Quds, where they were welcomed by their families and hundreds of supporters.
The Israeli forces, however, fired live bullets and tear gas at the crowds near Ofer prison, killing a 26-year-old Palestinian man and injuring another.
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The prisoner swap deal was announced on Monday by Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al Ansari, on X social media platform. He said 33 Palestinians would be freed in exchange for 11 captives from Gaza.
This was the fourth phase of the prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas, which has been mediated by Qatar and Egypt. The deal aims to secure the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails in return for dozens of Israeli captives and foreign nationals in Gaza.
So far, 39 Israeli captives and 150 Palestinian prisoners have been released in three previous phases. In addition, Hamas has also freed 19 foreign nationals.
The latest prisoner swap coincided with the extension of a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza by two more days. The truce was brokered by Egypt after a month-long war that killed more than 2,000 Palestinians and 70 Israelis.
Truce extended
Al-Ansari also confirmed the extension of the truce for two more days in a statement posted on X.
Hamas said it agreed with Qatar and Egypt to extend the truce for an additional two days “under the same conditions reached before.”
Israel re-arrests Palestinian girl due for release in prisoner swap: Report
A 16-year-old Palestinian girl, Nofoth Hammad, who was supposed to be freed on Saturday as part of a prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, has been reportedly re-arrested by the occupation regime.
Nofoth was assaulted and injured by Israeli forces while being transported to Jerusalem for her release, according to her father, Wafa news agency reported. He said he was not allowed to visit her in the hospital and was later informed that she was taken back to prison.
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Nofoth was the youngest child in Israeli jails. She was arrested two years ago for allegedly trying to attack a settler and sentenced to 12 years.
Her name was included in the second batch of prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday, in return for 13 Israelis held in Gaza. However, an Israeli settler objected to her release, possibly leading to her re-arrest.
Source: Agencies
