Israel unveiled a roster on Wednesday featuring the names of 300 Palestinian prisoners potentially eligible for release as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered with the Hamas movement.
The intricacies of the agreement entail Israel’s commitment to releasing 150 Palestinian prisoners, reciprocated by Hamas with the release of 50 Israeli hostages during the initial four-day ceasefire period.
According to insights from ‘The Times of Israel,’ the likelihood of further releases hinges on maintaining the same proportional balance from the disclosed list of 300 names should additional hostages be set free.
Dominantly comprised of 287 males aged 18 or younger, these individuals have mainly faced detention for involvement in riots and stone-throwing incidents in the West Bank or East Jerusalem. The remaining 13, adult females, stand accused of various offenses, primarily related to attempted terrorist stabbings.
In a pre-dawn announcement on Wednesday, Hamas issued a statement declaring, ‘We have achieved a humanitarian ceasefire agreement and a temporary halt to hostilities lasting for 4 days, thanks to concerted Qatari and Egyptian efforts.’
This ceasefire accord outlines the release of 50 female and child prisoners from Gaza, prompting Israel to reciprocate by freeing 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Qatar has proudly disclosed the success of joint mediation endeavors, in collaboration with Egypt and the United States, bringing about an agreement for a humanitarian ceasefire.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry’s official statement confirms that the specific timing for initiating the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel will be revealed within the next 24 hours, with a prescribed duration of 4 days, subject to extension.
The agreement contains an important provision for the exchange of 50 female civilians and children from Gaza in the initial stage. In return, Israel has committed to releasing a group of Palestinian women and children who are currently detained in Israeli prisons. The number of those released will increase as the agreement progresses.