Israel and Hamas Prisoner Exchange Underway in Gaza Strip

gaza strip - Israel and Hamas have begun the 4th prisoner exchange as part of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza Strip.

Israeli and Hamas Prisoner Exchange in Gaza Strip

As part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the 4th prisoner exchange has commenced in Gaza. The Red Cross officials arrived at the exchange point amidst the rubble and devastation in Gaza. Hamas has released the names of 183 Palestinians to be exchanged for 3 Israeli captives. Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon were handed over by Hamas to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza. IDF confirmed the safe arrival of Bibas and Calderon in Israel after crossing the border. Meanwhile, in Han Yunus city in Gaza, vehicles belonging to the International Red Cross Committee have arrived at the exchange point.

Hamas is preparing for the release of prisoners while Palestinian citizens in Gaza gathered at the exchange point with flags in hand. The military wing of Hamas, Izzeddin El Kassam Brigades, handed over the two Israeli civilians, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas, to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Han Yunus in Gaza.

The prisoners were given certificates and presented at the exchange site. An official from the Red Cross and a member of the Kassam Brigades signed documents related to the handover of the prisoners. The prisoners were then taken in a Red Cross vehicle to return to Israel. The Israeli army also confirmed the handover of the two captives by the Red Cross. Hamas is expected to release the 3rd captive, Keith Siegel, in Gaza city.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society issued a statement warning against Israeli military actions targeting released Palestinian prisoners' homes in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The statement highlighted threats, arrests, vandalism, and bans on celebratory events or displays of flags following the prisoners' release, accusing Israel of attempting to undermine the symbolic status of the released Palestinians.

Moreover, the Israeli army claimed that an armed group fired at Israeli forces in the buffer zone. The army reported that 5 armed individuals opened fire on Israeli forces stationed in the northern buffer zone, prompting a response from the Israeli side. No injuries were reported among the Israeli soldiers. This incident marks the first time Israeli forces in the buffer zone and southern Syria have been targeted since land attacks began.

The Media Office of Prisoners affiliated with Hamas stated that the released Palestinian prisoners on February 1st include individuals sentenced to life imprisonment, heavy sentences, and those detained after October 7, 2023, in Gaza. The statement mentioned that 7 individuals will be deported outside Palestine. The planned release includes 54 from Fatah, 8 from Hamas, 6 from Islamic Jihad, 2 from the Popular Front, and 2 from the Democratic Front.

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, the Israeli army conducted multiple house raids in the Tulkerim Refugee Camp after 5 days of intense attacks. Explosions were heard in the camp, specifically in the En-Nadi neighborhood, with heavy smoke rising from the area.