Israel Releases 90 Palestinian Prisoners As Ceasefire Brings Temporary Calm to Gaza
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israel has freed 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, coinciding with the return of three Israeli captives.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which facilitated the transfers, described the operation as complex yet vital for humanitarian relief.
The release, confirmed by the ICRC, involved meticulous planning and rigorous security measures.
“We are relieved that those released can be reunited with their loved ones,” said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.
She emphasized the organization's neutral role, highlighting that the operation “demonstrates how agreements between warring sides can save and transform lives.”
ICRC teams faced challenges navigating large crowds and heightened emotions during the prisoner transfers.
In Gaza, they also had to contend with unexploded ordnance and devastated infrastructure.
The organization urged all parties to adhere to ceasefire terms and pledged to expand its humanitarian efforts in the region.
Meanwhile, the ceasefire has brought a brief respite to Gaza’s battered population.
Families displaced by over a year of war are returning to areas like Rafah, eastern Gaza, and Jabalia refugee camp, only to find their homes reduced to rubble.
Some have erected makeshift tents amid the destruction, but the urgent need for basic services like water systems and healthcare remains unmet.
“After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN’s relief chief, as over 630 aid trucks crossed into Gaza on Sunday, 300 of which were destined for the heavily bombed north.
Fletcher warned there is “no time to lose” in addressing the crisis.
For many in Gaza, rebuilding feels insurmountable.
Families like the al-Qidras, who survived multiple displacements, returned to eastern Khan Younis in a donkey cart, hopeful but confronted by extensive destruction.
Ahmed al-Qidra explained that their area was uninhabitable, forcing them back into tents.
Despite this bleak reality, Sunday’s ceasefire offered a glimmer of hope.
“The ceasefire must continue to hold,” said Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, describing the cessation of violence as “a step towards peace and stability.”
In the streets of Gaza, the silence of bombs has been replaced by the sounds of children playing, a stark but welcome contrast after more than 470 days of Israeli war.