GAZA STRIP, Palestine: The first buses carrying released Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails arrived in Gaza on Monday, hours after Hamas freed all 20 remaining living hostages under a ceasefire agreement that paused two years of devastating Israeli bombardment.
Buses carrying detainees freed under the Gaza ceasefire deal have departed from Israel’s Negev Prison towards the enclave.
The releases mark the initial phase of the prisoner exchange agreement reached between Hamas and Israel as part of the peace plan brokered by international mediators, including the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye.
Earlier in the day, Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza. Cheering crowds greeted buses of prisoners in the West Bank, while families and friends of the hostages gathered in a square in Tel Aviv cried out with joy and relief.
The hostages have arrived back in Israel, where they will reunite with family and undergo medical checks. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear.
Buses carrying dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in Beitunia, near the West Bank city of Ramallah, and in the Gaza Strip, the Palestine’s Prisoners Office said, as Israel began releasing more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire deal.
While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest Israeli bombardment campaign.
The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged that he was “committed to this peace” in a speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
US President Donald Trump also addressed the Knesset. He will now attend a summit to discuss the US-proposed deal and post-war plans with other leaders.
Since October 2023, Israel’s relentless bombardment campaign has killed at least 67,869 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The toll is expected to grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by the relentless Israeli bombing and ground assaults.
The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90% of its some 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests, and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.
“Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the AP on Sunday.
