On Saturday, February 1, as part of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, a bus carrying Palestinian prisoners released from Israel's Ofer Prison departed from the occupied West Bank. According to Hamas, Israel was to release a total of 182 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
In return, the Palestinian militant group Hamas released three Israeli hostages on Saturday morning. The hostage-prisoner exchange is part of negotiations aimed at ending the 15-month-long war in Gaza.
In the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, 15 out of a total of 33 Israeli hostages have been released in exchange for 400 Palestinian prisoners. In the second phase of the agreement, negotiations are set to begin by next Tuesday regarding the release of more than 60 remaining Israeli hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
Prisoner Exchange Process Watched on Large Screens in Tel Aviv
Thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to watch the prisoner exchange process broadcast on large screens by local television channels. The event has garnered significant interest in both Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Hamas' armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, handed over two Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Saturday. The released hostages were Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas. A third hostage, U.S. citizen Keith Samuel Siegel, was later handed over to the Red Cross at Gaza City’s port.
Handover Carried Out Under Strict Security Measures
The handover process took place in the presence of a large number of Palestinians. Members of the Al-Qassam Brigades were deployed in the area to oversee the exchange. Red Cross vehicles, which arrived in Khan Younis and Gaza City earlier in the day, facilitated the successful completion of the swap.
The Israeli army confirmed in a statement that two Israeli hostages were on their way to Israel. Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas were transported by helicopter to the Tel HaShomer Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, on Saturday.
Israeli Security Measures and Warnings
Amid the prisoner exchange, the Israeli army prepared for an operation in the town of Beitunia near Ramallah on Saturday. At the time, a Red Cross convoy carrying released Palestinian detainees was passing through the area. The Israeli army dropped warning leaflets via drones, urging people not to celebrate the release of Palestinian prisoners.
This prisoner exchange is being conducted under international mediation efforts and is considered a significant step towards influencing the peace process in the region.
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