On the 21st day of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the “Al-Qassam Brigades” handed over three Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Deir al-Balah. This handover marked the “fifth batch” in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, exchanged for the release of dozens of Palestinian prisoners by ‘Israel’.
The handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/5loYUzsfGz
— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) February 8, 2025
During the handover, one of the released Israeli captives called for the completion of the deal and the continuation of negotiations for the second phase. Meanwhile, the Israeli army warned Palestinian families against celebrating the release of their relatives, with the occupation forces summoning the families of Jerusalemite prisoners for investigation.
In the same context, Red Cross vehicles arrived in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, to receive the three Zionist prisoners from the “Al-Qassam Brigades” (the military wing of Hamas). Regarding the place of handover, the Israeli “Channel 12” pointed out that “Hamas chose a populated area this time, perhaps as a signal to Trump, who claimed that the Strip is completely destroyed and uninhabitable.” Earlier, Palestinian sources indicated that the occupation forces opened fire along the Salah al-Din axis in the central Gaza Strip.
The process of handing over the Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Gaza has begun. pic.twitter.com/nHDpGuzzPj
— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) February 8, 2025
While the Prison Service is preparing to release a number of Palestinian prisoners from the Ketziot prison in the Negev desert. The enemy army said that its air force had completed its preparations to receive the prisoners returning to the occupied territories from the Strip.
According to the Prisoners’ Information Office, the occupation is supposed to release 18 prisoners with “life sentences”, 54 prisoners with high sentences, and 111 prisoners from the Gaza Strip who were “not involved”, according to the enemy’s description, in the events of October 7, 2023.
According to the list published yesterday evening, 7 of the prisoners will be deported outside Palestine. 38 of those included in the fifth batch belong to Hamas, 30 to Fatah, one to Islamic Jihad, and 3 do not belong to organizations.
The prisoner exchange process has been a point of contention, with the Israeli government threatening to prevent West Bank celebrations. This comes as the Israeli delegation is expected to head to Doha to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement’s second phase.
Hamas has expressed its commitment to the agreement, while warning that the failure to bring equipment into Gaza will make it impossible to retrieve the dead Israeli prisoners from under the rubble of destroyed buildings.
The swap deal has also sparked political tensions, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commenting on the establishment of a Palestinian state, calling it “a huge prize for terrorism.” The Mossad chief is expected to lead the Israeli delegation to the negotiations, with reports suggesting Netanyahu may seek to postpone the implementation of the second phase.
Source: Agencies and Al-Manar English Website
