A tenuous ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict is currently in effect, following a significant exchange in which three hostages were swapped for 90 Palestinian prisoners, aimed at bringing an end to over 15 months of warfare in Gaza.
The three women hostages released yesterday have been reunited with their families and taken to a hospital in central Israel, where doctors reported that they are in stable condition.
Shortly thereafter, in the West Bank, Palestinian prisoners released by Israel left Ofer prison on buses around 1 a.m. (11 p.m. Irish time yesterday), greeted by jubilant crowds celebrating their return in the nearby town of Beitunia.
We need your consent to load this comcast-player content. We use comcast-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences
The militant group Hamas declared that Gaza and its inhabitants “will rise again” and rebuild the territory that has endured over 15 months of relentless bombardment.
“Gaza, with its resilient and noble people, will rise again to reconstruct what the occupation has devastated and persist in steadfastness until the occupation is vanquished,” Hamas stated in a declaration made on the second day of the ceasefire with Israel.
“For 471 days, the systematic crimes of the occupation have not deterred our people or their courageous resistance from holding onto the land and combating the aggression.”
A view of Palestinians continuing to return to their homes following the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
The truce commenced on the eve of Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration, with the former president claiming credit for the agreement after months of ineffective negotiations.
Mr. Trump mentioned on NBC that he had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to put an end to the war.
If plans proceed as intended, the implementation of the truce is expected to unfold over several weeks, with only the initial phase of the truce having been agreed upon so far by all parties involved.
Despite potential dangers, hundreds of Palestinians were making their way through the devastated landscape in Jabalia, one of the areas worst affected by the war.
“We are finally home. There is nothing left, just debris, but it’s still our home,” stated Rana Mohsen, 43.
People gather around a Red Cross bus carrying approximately 90 Palestinian prisoners who were freed.
The initial 42-day truce was facilitated by Qatari, U.S., and Egyptian mediators.
This ceasefire should allow for a substantial influx of much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, as more Israeli hostages are released in return for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
According to the agreement, Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from some areas of Gaza while negotiations for a permanent ceasefire commence.
During this first phase, 31 of the Israeli hostages taken during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, are to be returned from Gaza in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians.
Reunited
The first three released hostages, Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher, returned to Israel after being handed over by Hamas fighters to the Red Cross in a busy square in Gaza City, surrounded by armed men in military fatigues and balaclavas.
“In Emily’s own words, she is the happiest girl in the world; she’s got her life back,” remarked Damari’s mother Mandy, adding that her daughter is “doing much better than we ever expected,” despite having lost two fingers.
Emily Damari (R) was one of three Israeli hostages released by Hamas.
Damari, a British-Israeli dual national, was at home in Kfar Aza, southern Israel, when Hamas militants attacked on October 7, 2023, injuring her hands and legs before taking her hostage.
Ms. Steinbrecher’s family stated that “our heroic Dodo, who endured 471 days in Hamas captivity, begins her rehabilitation journey today.”
In Tel Aviv, crowds erupted in joy as they awaited news of the hostages’ release, with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group celebrating their return as “a beacon of light.”
Concerns grew in Israel regarding the next phases of the truce, with columnist Sima Kadmon cautioning in the Yedioth Ahronoth daily that upcoming hostage releases may be more distressing.
“Some will be brought home on gurneys and in wheelchairs. Others will return in coffins. Some will arrive wounded and traumatized, with much of the footage unable to be aired,” she wrote.
Journalist Avi Issacharoff, a creator of the popular series Fauda, criticized the Israeli government for what he claimed was its failure to prepare for the “day after” the war.
Following the release of the three women hostages, the Israel Prison Service confirmed that 90 Palestinian prisoners had been freed.
Palestinians raise national flags along with Hamas and Hezbollah banners as they sit atop the Red Cross bus carrying the prisoners early this morning.
In Beitunia, near Ofer prison, Palestinians cheered and shouted as buses arrived, with some climbing atop the bus and waving a Hamas flag.
“All the prisoners released today feel like family to us. They are one of us, even if they aren’t blood relatives,” Amanda Abu Sharkh, 23, told AFP.
One freed prisoner, Abdul Aziz Muhammad Atawneh, described prison as “hell, hell, hell.”
The next hostage-prisoner exchange is scheduled for Saturday, a senior Hamas official informed AFP.
International Committee of the Red Cross president Mirjana Spoljaric urged all parties to “adhere to their commitments to ensure the next operations can take place safely.”
‘Nothing left’
Reports from Gaza revealed isolated incidents of violence since the ceasefire took effect.
Medics indicated that eight individuals had been struck by Israeli fire in Rafah this morning, though their conditions were not immediately available.
The Israeli military stated it was investigating these reports.
Palestinian Emergency Services mentioned ongoing searches for thousands of Palestinians believed to be trapped under rubble, with residents expressing shock at the devastation witnessed on the second day of the ceasefire.
“We are searching for 10,000 martyrs whose bodies remain beneath the rubble,” said Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Emergency Services.
Displaced Gazan Mohamed Gomaa, who lost his brother and nephew during the conflict, commented, “It was a huge shock, and countless people are feeling this shock due to the destruction—it’s total destruction. This isn’t akin to an earthquake or flood; no, what’s happened is a war of extermination.”
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher reported that 630 trucks carrying urgently needed aid entered Gaza within hours of the ceasefire’s commencement, with 300 heading to the north of the territory.
This truce aims to pave the way for a permanent resolution to the conflict, although arrangements for a second phase have not yet been finalized.
Palestinians have begun returning to heavily damaged areas of Gaza.
Thousands of Palestinians carrying tents, clothing, and personal belongings were seen making their way home yesterday after the war displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million residents.
Returning Jabalia resident Walid Abu Jiab observed “massive, unprecedented destruction,” remarking that there is “nothing left” in northern Gaza, which has experienced intense violence in recent months.
In Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, displaced 70-year-old Umm Hasan al-Buzom declared she would “crawl her way back home” if necessary.
“But we can’t return for fear that the (Israeli) occupation forces might shoot at us.”
The World Food Programme announced it was working diligently to deliver food to as many Gazans as possible.
“We are aiming to reach one million individuals in the shortest possible timeframe,” stated its deputy executive director, Carl Skau.
The war’s previous truce, which lasted one week in November 2023, similarly facilitated the release of hostages held by militants in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Read more: Ceasefire leaves shattered Gaza and divided Israel in its wake. Gazan children expected to arrive ‘shortly’ for treatment.
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid arrive in the Gaza Strip.
Aid workers reported that northern Gaza was particularly hard hit, lacking essential supplies such as food, shelter, and water.
The World Health Organization expressed readiness to funnel aid into Gaza but indicated it would require “systematic access” across the territory for effective distribution.
WHO’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, later stated on X that “revitalizing the health system in Gaza will be a complex and formidable task, given the extent of the destruction.”
The ceasefire in #Gaza and the commencement of the hostage and prisoner release process bring immense hope for millions whose lives have been profoundly impacted by the conflict.
It is a moment I have long advocated for and hoped to see.
However, addressing the overwhelming health needs and… (REST OF TWEET)
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 19, 2025
On the eve of the truce, Mr. Netanyahu referred to the initial phase as a “temporary ceasefire,” asserting that Israel had U.S. support to resume military actions if necessary.
Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, stated that their compliance with the ceasefire would be “dependent on the enemy’s commitments.”
A man raises the Palestinian flag as Gazans return home to parts of the Gaza Strip following the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
Read the latest Middle East stories.
Rebuilding Gaza post-war will necessitate billions of dollars.
A recent UN damage assessment revealed that clearing over 50 million tonnes of rubble remaining from Israel’s bombardment could take two decades and cost up to $1.2 billion (€1.16 billion).
The debris is suspected to contain asbestos, with some refugee camps impacted during the war known to have been constructed using such materials.
Israel’s objective in the conflict was to eliminate Hamas and dismantle the extensive tunnel network it constructed underground.
The October 7 Hamas attack, the deadliest in Israel’s history, resulted in the deaths of 1,210 individuals, primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Out of the 251 hostages taken, 91 remain in Gaza, including 34 that the Israeli military reports are deceased.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza, the death toll in the war between Israel and Hamas has reached 46,913.
