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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More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Residents in central Gaza are preparing to vote in municipal elections on Saturday (25 April), marking the first ballot in the Strip since 2006. The vote in Deir al-Balah is being watched closely as a rare indication of public sentiment, including towards Hamas.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala on Saturday (25 April) during a working visit to the country.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war suffered a setback on Saturday as U.S. President Donald Trump cancelled a planned envoy visit to Pakistan for talks, even as parallel regional diplomacy continued and military tensions escalated in Lebanon.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
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