After much delay, mediators claim that Hamas will release 13 Israelis and 7 foreigners in return for 39 Palestinians.

 After much delay, mediators claim that Hamas will release 13 Israelis and 7 foreigners in return for 39 Palestinians.

 According to mediators from Qatar and Egypt, following a delay and an alleged breach of a truce agreement by Israel, Hamas consented to exchange 39 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel for the release of 13 Israelis and seven foreigners.

 It was almost midnight when Hamas announced that all 20 had been turned up to the International Committee of the Red Cross. On the second day of a four-day cease-fire, the delayed exchange led to a tense stalemate, with Hamas claiming that Israel's assistance deliveries were insufficient for northern Gaza, the target of Israel's ground

Leading Hamas figure Osama Hamdan expressed worry in Beirut, saying, "This is putting the deal in danger." Later on, though, Egypt, Qatar, and Hamas declared that the hurdles had been removed. Additionally, Hamas stated that 33 juvenile males and six women were anticipated to be released by the Israelis. These included Israa Jaabis and Maysoun Jabali, who were both imprisoned in 2015 after being found guilty of attacking Israelis.

 The latter suffered severe burns in the incident.

Even while there was still some doubt about some aspects of the conversation, there had been earlier moments of happy families coming together on both sides, so there was hope.On the first day of the truce, Israel liberated 39 Palestinian prisoners and Hamas released 24 of the approximately 240 captives it had abducted during its attack on Israel on October 7, which started the conflict.

 Thirteen Israelis, ten Thais, and one Filipino were set free in Gaza.For the four days of the truce, Hamas is expected to free 150 Palestinian prisoners and at least 50 Israeli captives, all of whom are women and children.President of the United States Joe Biden expressed hope for this development, as Israel has stated that the ceasefire could be extended by one day for every ten more hostages released.A Qatari delegation arrived in Israel on Saturday to coordinate with relevant parties and ensure the ongoing smooth progress of the deal, as stated by an anonymous diplomat briefed on the visit, who spoke under condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to disclose details to the media.

        The onset of the ceasefire brought a period of calm for 2.3 million Palestinians who had been enduring relentless Israeli bombardment, resulting in thousands of casualties.

Three-quarters of the population were displaced from their homes, and residential areas were left in ruins. Simultaneously, rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel came to a halt.War-fatigued residents of northern Gaza have reemerged onto the streets, navigating through debris among damaged structures and occasionally sifting through it manually.

 At the Indonesian hospital in Jabaliya, which was previously subjected to siege by the Israeli military this month, remains were found both within the courtyard and outside the main entrance.

Emad Abu Hajer, a resident of the Jabaliya refugee camp in the Gaza City area, utilized the pause to once again sift through the remnants of his home, which was destroyed in an Israeli attack the previous week.

 During this search, he tragically discovered the bodies of a cousin and nephew, increasing the death toll from the attack to 19. His sister and two other relatives remain unaccounted for.

The United Nations reported that the temporary ceasefire allowed for a significant increase in the distribution of food, water, and medicine, marking the largest volume since aid convoys resumed on Oct. 21. Additionally, 129,000 liters (34,078 gallons) of fuel—a little over 10% of the pre-war daily volume—were successfully delivered, along with cooking gas, marking the first such delivery since the conflict began.

In Khan Younis, a city in the south, a lengthy queue formed outside a filling station, with individuals carrying containers. Hossam Fayad expressed his disappointment that the ceasefire was only for four days, expressing his desire for an extension until the living conditions of people improved.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, aid came to the northern Gaza area for the first time in more than a month.

 With 61 trucks carrying food, water, and medical supplies, this was the biggest aid convoy to be sent into the area on Saturday. In addition, the UN reported that working with the Palestinian Red Crescent, 40 patients and their families were successfully displaced from a hospital in Gaza City and transferred to a hospital in Khan Younis.

In Tel Aviv, thousands of people gathered in a central square known as "the square of the hostages" in anticipation of updates regarding the second release.

Tel Aviv resident Neri Gershon expressed concern, stating, “Don’t forget the others because it’s getting harder, harder and harder. It’s heartbreaking.” Some families have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of not taking sufficient action to secure the return of the hostages. Source

In the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank, preparations were underway at the home of 16-year-old Wael Mesheh for his imminent return as part of the second swap. "We are eagerly anticipating embracing him," remarked his mother, Hanadi Mesheh, over the phone.

Meanwhile, the initial group of released Israelis comprised nine women and four children aged 9 and below. They were transferred to Israeli hospitals for assessment and were reported to be in satisfactory health.

24 Palestinian women and 15 teenage boys who were detained in Israeli prisons in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem have been set free hours later. The teenage boys had been incarcerated for minor infractions such as throwing stones, while among the women were individuals who had been convicted of attempting to stab Israeli soldiers. One released prisoner, Aseel Munir al-Titi, expressed, "It’s a joy tinged with sadness because our freedom from imprisonment has come at the expense of the lives of martyrs and the childhood innocence of children."According to the advocacy group Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, Israel presently has about 7,200 Palestinians in detention, and since the conflict started, approximately 2,000 individuals have been arrested.SOURSE

At least two Palestinians suffered injuries over this past weekend at tense checkpoints in the West Bank where Israel was supposed to let go of prisoners. Palestinians gathered at the Beitunia checkpoints were exposed to assault with tear gas and rubber bullets by Israeli security personnel. What exactly happened to cause the two individuals harm is still unknown.

A LONGER PEACE?

Thousands of Hamas defenders attacked southern Israel, sparking the start of the conflict. The majority of the approximately 1,200 people who died were civilians, and a large number of others—including women, children, the elderly, and military personnel—were imprisoned.

"We will quickly resume attacks and actions in Gaza as soon as the cease-fire concludes," Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi declared to the soldiers.

Israeli leaders have stated their commitment to continuing operations until Hamas, which has governed Gaza for the past 16 years, is eliminated. They maintain that military pressure is the only means to secure the release of hostages, although there is mounting pressure from the families of captives to prioritize their safe return.

According to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled Gaza government, the Israeli offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 13,300 Palestinians. Notably, approximately two-thirds of the casualties have been women and minors.

 It's important to note that these figures do not include updated numbers from hospitals in the north, where communications have broken down.