Exactly 471 days later, the guns were silenced and a ceasefire was reached in Gaza. While the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas, declared on January 15, came into force, the process started painfully yesterday. An hour before the ceasefire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas had not forwarded to Israel the list of hostages to be released on the first day, and suddenly the ‘list’ crisis became an agenda all over the world.
DURING THE LIST CRISIS, ISRAEL HIT GAZA AGAIN
“The ceasefire will not come into force until Hamas presents the list,” Netanyahu said. Hamas, on the other hand, announced that it was committed to the ceasefire and that the list could not be delivered due to technical reasons on the ground.
While the list was awaited, Israel hit Gaza again. Many people lost their lives and were injured.
The ceasefire came into force at 12.15 yesterday, after a delay of approximately 3 hours, after Hamas conveyed the names of the hostages to be released to the mediators.
HAMAS RELEASED 3 ISRAELI WOMEN
Then, 3 Israeli women hostages, who had been in the hands of Hamas for 471 days, were handed over to the Red Cross teams.
Israeli Channel 12 television announced the names of the three female hostages as Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari.
In the first statement made by the Israeli army, it was stated that the 3 released hostages were taken to Israel accompanied by a special unit of the Israeli army and the force of the Shin Bet Intelligence organization.