Red Cross buses carrying 110 Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday (January 30) as part of a phased agreement that ended over 15 months of conflict.
The release of the detainees, part of a wider agreement that halted the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, sparked celebrations in the Palestinian territories.
Women, dressed in traditional Palestinian attire, ululated as the buses arrived, while men chanted, “We sacrifice our souls and blood for you.” The most prominent figure among the freed prisoners was Zakaria Zubaidi, a leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas' rival, the Fatah group. Zubaidi had previously escaped prison in 2021 but was recaptured soon after. Known as a strongman of the city of Jenin, Zubaidi's release was widely celebrated.
The mood turned tense as Israeli army vehicles entered Ramallah and fired stun grenades at the crowd, which had gathered to welcome the prisoners. Some Palestinians responded by throwing stones at the Israeli forces. Palestinian health officials reported at least 14 injuries from Israeli fire, including live and rubber bullets, and gas inhalation.
While the celebration in Ramallah continued, clashes with Israeli troops underscored the ongoing tensions in the region. Despite the prisoner exchange, the situation remains volatile, with no immediate comment from Israeli authorities regarding the confrontation.
The release came amid wider efforts to ease hostilities, with Hamas also freeing three Israeli and five Thai hostages in Gaza on the same day.
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A Kyiv-Warsaw train was struck near the Polish border, Ukraine's state railway firm said on Sunday. No passengers were injured. Ukrainian Railways said that the country's railways were facing systematic attacks for a second day and warned of widespread delays.
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Swedes vote in an election on Sunday (13 September) that could see the far-right enter government for the first time if the country's right-wing parties can form a majority.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
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