One of the three Israeli hostages has been released that will be delivered on Thursday (30) by Hamas. The Israeli army confirmed that the hostage Agam Berger is already in Israel. The three hostages will be exchanged for 110 Palestinian citizens detained by Israel.
Agam Berger “crossed the border to Israeli territory” under the protection of special forces members after being delivered to the army by the Red Cross in Jabalia, north of the enclave, the Israeli army said in a statement.
The soldier was taken by the military to a makeshift stage, where he waved to a crowd that joined in a square in Jabalia, surrounded by a scenario of destruction. Agam Berger, 20, was captured during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, when he met the military service near the Gaza Strip.
Soldier’s release is the first scheduled for this Thursday, in the third exchange of hostages by Palestinian prisoners under the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The other two to be released today are another 29-year-old, Arbel Yehud, and an 80-year-old Israeli-German citizen, Gadi Moses.
The three hostages will be exchanged for 110 Palestinian citizens detained by Israel, including 32 sentenced to life imprisonment.
Five Thai should also be released today, outside the scope of the Tremale Agreement. A fourth exchange is scheduled for Saturday (1st), with the release of three men according to the calendar announced by Israel.
Three Israeli civilians and four soldiers – all women – have been released so far as part of the ceasefire agreement, which began on January 19. In return, Israel released 290 convicts and detained Palestinians.
Palestinians continue to return north of Gaza
As part of the agreement that interrupted 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip, Israel also authorized the return of people displaced north of the Palestinian enclave. According to the latest data from the United States Organization (UN), more than 376,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to the north of the Gaza track since Monday (27).
Hamas classified the return as “victory” for the Palestinian people and signaled “the failure and defeat of the occupation plans”.
Almost all 2.4 million residents of the Gaza Strip were moved by the war triggered by the Hamas attack against Israel on October 7, 2023.
The ceasefire will last six weeks and allow the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.
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