Israel and Hamas prepare to exchange more captives amid extended cease-fire deal

TEL AVIV, Israel — On the primary day of a 48-hour cease-fire extension in Gaza on Tuesday, Hamas has agreed to free extra Israeli hostages in return for dozens of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Within the closing hours of the unique four-day truce that was set to run out on Monday, Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. stated there had been settlement to extend the deal at the very least via Wednesday if every day Hamas releases at the very least 10 Israeli hostages it seized in final month’s assault on Israel. Round 240 captives had been taken within the Oct. 7 assault that killed round 1,200 individuals, in response to Israeli officers.

On Monday, there have been extra scenes of jubilation — each amongst Palestinian households whose little kids walked out of Israeli jails and Israelis who welcomed dwelling 11 girls, kids and youngsters after 52 days in captivity. In all, 33 Palestinians prisoners had been launched after Hamas handed over 11 Israeli hostages.

Among the many Palestinians freed on Monday was 16-year-old Nufuth Hammad from Jenin, a metropolis within the north of the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution. Hammad was sentenced simply two weeks in the past to 12 years in jail for stabbing a neighbor. She had already spent two years in jail awaiting her sentencing.

Most of the Israelis freed come from a single kibbutz, Nir Oz, that was amongst these hardest hit within the Oct. 7 Hamas assault. They included two girls, two toddlers and 4 different kids and teenagers, the oldest 18.

Lists of captives to be freed on Tuesday have already been exchanged

Israel stated it had accredited a listing of fifty Palestinian prisoners who’re slated for launch “ought to further Israeli hostages be launched,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated in a press release. Israeli media studies that Israel has already obtained a listing of 10 hostages Hamas expects to launch on the primary day of the prolonged cease-fire.

Till now, every day’s hostages-for-prisoners swap has adhered to a components of three Palestinians for each Israeli hostage, an association anticipated to proceed within the coming days. Up to now, 50 Israeli hostages have been launched and 19 captives of different nationalities — 17 Thais, a Filipino and a twin Russian-Israeli citizen — have been freed exterior the framework of the settlement.

U.N. says three-quarters of Gaza’s inhabitants displaced by combating

As important because the extension of the pause in combating is for extra exchanges of captives, it additionally permits desperately wanted reduction support to succeed in Gaza, which has been pounded by seven weeks of Israeli airstrikes and a floor offensive geared toward eliminating Hamas. A minimum of 13,300 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that combating started, in response to the Well being Ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

The United Nations Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that the pause in combating that went into impact early Friday “was largely maintained” via till Monday.

“It has enabled humanitarian actors, primarily the Egyptian and Palestinian Crimson Crescent Societies and UN companies, to boost the supply of help into and throughout Gaza,” OCHA stated in its newest replace on the scenario.

It stated on Monday that “dozens” of support vans from UNRWA, the U.N. reduction company that oversees the Palestinian territories, and the Palestine Crimson Crescent Society had reached areas in northern Gaza, the place a lot of the combating has been targeted.

“The help included medical provides, ready-to-eat meals, wheat flour, bottled water, tents and blankets, which had been delivered to 4 UNRWA shelters and three essential warehouses for subsequent distribution,” OCHA stated.

The U.N. says three-quarters of Gaza’s 2.2 million individuals have been internally displaced by the battle.