As the ceasefire agreement in Gaza entered its fourteenth day, the Israeli occupation authorities released 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday, following the release of three Israeli detainees by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). This marks the completion of the fourth batch of the prisoner exchange under the terms of the ongoing agreement.
Hamas issued a statement affirming that, as part of the “Flood of Freedom” deal, the resistance released three Israeli prisoners, one of whom holds US citizenship, in exchange for a new group of Palestinian prisoners. The handover took place in front of a platform adorned with pictures of the martyred Hamas leaders Muhammad al-Deif and his military council colleagues, symbolizing the organization’s continued commitment to its struggle.
Among those released from Israeli prisons are 18 individuals sentenced to life imprisonment, 54 with high and life sentences, and 111 others detained by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip following the outbreak of violence on October 7, 2023. Israeli media reported that following the release, 79 detainees remain under Hamas’s custody in Gaza, with 20 scheduled for release in the first phase of the current agreement.
In a related development, the first group of patients and the wounded began leaving Gaza via the Rafah land crossing to Egypt. This marks the first time the Rafah crossing has been reopened since Israeli forces launched a ground invasion of Rafah during the recent conflict.
On the political front, the administration of US President Donald Trump continues its discussions on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement and the future of Gaza. Trump has reiterated his plan to relocate Gaza’s residents to Egypt and Jordan, a proposal that has sparked widespread debate.
Meanwhile, in Cairo, a meeting of six Arab countries was convened on Saturday to discuss the developments in Gaza, including the consolidation of the ceasefire, and ways to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which Israel has recently banned.
In the wake of the recent ceasefire, Egyptian and Qatari mediators have begun preparations for the second round of negotiations regarding the agreement. These discussions, which aim to address the remaining terms of the ceasefire, including prisoner exchanges, sustainable peace, and the reconstruction of Gaza, are set to begin on Monday, the 16th day of the first phase of the agreement.
Despite the cautious optimism surrounding the second round of talks, the situation remains complex. Israeli political divisions, particularly among religious nationalist parties, continue to cast doubt on the potential for swift and lasting peace. As negotiations continue, the international community remains focused on finding a way to end the war that has raged for more than 15 months.
