Gaza Conflict Pauses, Three Women Released
The fighting in Gaza has paused, and three women held captive by Hamas have been released as part of the ceasefire agreement. The three women, Romi Gonen, Emily Demeri, and Doron Steinbreecher, are among the first to be freed under the terms of the agreement. With this, the process of releasing 33 hostages begins as part of the first phase of the agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump has welcomed the release of the three women.
The conflict in Gaza, which lasted for more than 15 months, has resulted in the deaths of 46,913 Palestinians. The ceasefire came into effect on January 19, after 471 days of intense fighting. The delay in the ceasefire's implementation occurred because Hamas was slow in providing the list of names for the three women to be released. However, the women have now been freed, marking the start of the process to release 33 hostages.
On January 19, as the ceasefire agreement was implemented, 13 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes and bombings in northern Gaza. The Israeli military claimed to target terrorist sites. Throughout the ongoing bombardment, many bodies remain trapped under the rubble in Gaza, making recovery difficult.
U.S. President Joe Biden also welcomed the release of three Israeli hostages as part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. According to a White House official statement, three Israeli hostages, who had been held captive for 471 days, were freed. The fighting in Gaza has left more than two percent of the population dead and displaced 90 percent of the people. Additionally, nearly 400 Israeli soldiers have been killed in the conflict.
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, reported that Hamas delayed providing the names of the three women to be released by 18 hours, citing technical reasons. This delay caused a temporary setback in the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. The three-phase ceasefire agreement, lasting for 42 days, aims to provide a path to a permanent ceasefire if everything proceeds as planned.
Before the agreement's implementation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that Israel would retain the right to strike if there were any violations of the agreement. Under the agreement, for every hostage released, Israel will free 30 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas will release 33 hostages over six weeks, including women, children, elderly men, and the sick and injured. This exchange will take place through the Red Cross.
It is estimated that Hamas and Islamic Jihad hold 98 Israeli and foreign hostages, with about half of them believed to be alive. Some hostages are reported to be dead and will be handed over to Israel by Hamas.
