Three Israeli women who were held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip for roughly 470 days were released yesterday after a long-awaited ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel went into effect. About 90 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel were also released. The temporary truce is seen as a potential path to ending the 15-month war.
The three women (see more here) are among a set of 33 hostages Hamas is expected to free in the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of imprisoned Palestinians. The exchange is part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal, which includes a 42-day pause in fighting and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas in Gaza.
Negotiations for a second phase, in which more hostages will be freed, will begin next month. A third phase—to be fully determined later—is expected to focus on Gaza’s reconstruction and the return of any remaining deceased hostages. Israel believes roughly 95 hostages remain, with about one-third deceased. Hamas abducted around 250 people during its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack.
