Israel frees 90 Palestinian prisoners in ceasefire deal
Israel has released the first 90 Palestinian prisoners under the terms of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which came into effect on Sunday.
The move is part of efforts to halt the ongoing violence that has ravaged the Gaza Strip.
The Israel Prison Service confirmed the release, noting that most of those freed were women and minors. Many of the detainees are from the West Bank, with some from East Jerusalem. Palestinian media outlets showed footage of the released prisoners arriving in Ramallah.
READ ALSO: Hamas agrees to ceasefire deal with Israel
In return, Hamas released the first three Israeli hostages—Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher—who were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) before being handed over to Israeli forces.
The hostages were subsequently taken to a hospital in Tel Aviv, where they were reunited with their families.
Under the ceasefire agreement, 33 Israeli hostages will be exchanged for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners over six weeks.
This deal follows months of mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar and caps a 15-month conflict between Israel and Hamas. A Hamas spokesman confirmed that four additional Israeli hostages will be released next Saturday.
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