Breaking news: While ‘prisoner exchange’ and ceasefire were on the agenda in Israel’s attacks on Gaza, the expected news came. Israel and Hamas agreed on hostage exchange. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a statement: “The hostages will be released gradually. The government made the difficult but correct decision this evening. Security chiefs fully support the decision. This agreement will give the army the opportunity to prepare.” he said. Here are the details…
The Netanyahu government has approved the expected hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas. In his statement after the Ssaş Cabinet, Netanyahu said that the hostages would be released in stages. The Israeli Prime Minister stated that the agreement discussed included the Red Cross reaching the hostages held by Hamas and providing the necessary medical support.
“US PRESIDENT BIDEN HELPED”
Netanyahu emphasized that US President Joe Biden helped develop the agreement to include more hostages and that the agreement would allow the army to prepare to continue the war.
Netanyahu added that they will continue the war with Hamas even if a temporary ceasefire is achieved in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz also said that the agreement was the first step towards the release of all hostages.
POWER EXCHANGE AGREEMENT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS
It was reported in Israeli and international media that, in the first phase of the agreement, Hamas would release between 50 and 80 Israeli women and children held in Gaza.
In return, it was reported that Israel was expected to release at least 150 Palestinian detainees, mostly women and children.
It was claimed that the prisoner exchange would take place by declaring a 4-day ceasefire in Gaza and that approximately 300 trucks per day would be allowed to enter Gaza within the scope of the agreement.
According to Israel, Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, holds 239 Israeli prisoners.
There are approximately 7 thousand Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, more than 2000 of whom are administrative detainees.
Israeli forces have detained approximately 3,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since October 7.
ISRAEL’S POWER EXCHANGE AGREEMENT WITH HAMAS IN 2011
Within the framework of the prisoner exchange agreement made by Hamas with Israel through Egypt on October 11, 2011, 1027 Palestinian prisoners in prisons were released in exchange for one Israeli soldier (Gilad Shalit).
However, Israel re-arrested some of the released Palestinians and re-imposed the sentences previously given to them.
