Israel-Gaza ceasefire latest: First 90 Palestinian prisoners released amid hostage for prisoner swap deal with Hamas

The ceasefire that went into effect Sunday morning stirred modest hopes for ending the Israel-Hamas war.

In Israel, the joy of seeing freed hostages Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbrecher reunited with their families was tempered by major questions over the fate of the nearly 100 others abducted in Hamas’ 7 October 2023, attack, still in captivity in Gaza.

Ms Damari, Ms Gonen and Ms Steinbrecher were the first among 33 Israeli hostages who are meant to be released in the coming six weeks in a deal that includes a pause in fighting, the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and increased fuel and aid deliveries for Gaza.

What happens after the deal’s first phase of 42 days is uncertain. The agreement’s subsequent stages call for more releases of hostages and prisoners and a permanent end to the war.

But Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was pressured by the outgoing Biden administration and incoming Trump administration to secure a deal before the president-elect’s inauguration on Monday in Washington, has said he received assurances from Donald Trump that Israel could continue fighting Hamas if necessary.

As Palestinians flooded back into the Gaza Strip after a ceasefire was agreed some were jubilant but others returned to find their homes completely destroyed.

Returning to the al-Faluja area of Jabalia, Duaa al-Khalidi told BBC News: “I survived with my two daughters we came out from under the rubble of our house.

“Here, beneath the debris, the bodies of my husband, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law have remained buried since 9 October.”

The 28-year-old mother of two continued: “I want nothing but their bodies so I can bury them with dignity.”

Bara’a Al-Fuqha, 22, hugged her family as she stepped off the white Red Cross bus and into the sea of cheering people welcoming the 90 Palestinians freed by Israel early on Monday.

A medical student at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem before her arrest, she had spent around six months in Damon Prison.

She said she was held under administrative detention – a policy of indefinite imprisonment without formal charge or trial that Israel almost exclusively uses against Palestinians. Israel says that the cases of Palestinians released as part of the exchange with Hamas for Israeli hostages all relate to state security charges.

Al-Fuqha said her conditions in Israeli prison were “terrible”, her access to food and water limited.“It was like, when we tried to hold our heads high, the guards would do their best to hold us down,” she said.

But now, reunited with her family, her sense of relief was measured.

“Thank God, I am here with my family, I’m satisfied,” she said. “But my joy is limited, because so many among us Palestinians are being tortured and abused. Our people in Gaza are suffering. God willing, we will work to free them, too.”

United Nations humanitarian officials say that more than 630 trucks of humanitarian aid have entered the besieged Gaza Strip, part of the implementation of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

In a post on social media platform X, Tom Fletcher, the United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said that over 630 trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, with at least 300 of them bringing humanitarian assistance into the north.

“There is no time to lose,” Mr Fletcher wrote. “After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering.”

The Gaza ceasefire deal, which began yesterday with an initial phase lasting six weeks, calls for the entry into Gaza of 600 trucks carrying humanitarian relief daily.

Over the course of the deal’s first stage, 33 Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity in Gaza will also be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser says the US has assured Israel that if Hamas runs afoul of a Gaza ceasefire deal, “we will be with them”.

Michael Waltz said on CNN that trust and confidence is why prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “felt comfortable pushing this through his government”.

He says the Trump administration will support Israel as it is “going to do what it has to do” to ensure Hamas never rules the Palestinian territory again.

Israel has freed 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. The release came early on Monday, more than seven hours after three Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza returned to Israel.

A large bus carrying dozens of Palestinian detainees exited the gates of Israel’s Ofer prison, just outside the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israel’s military, which occupies the West Bank, warned Palestinians against public celebration, but crowds thronged the buses after they left the prison, some people climbing on top or waving flags, including those of Hamas.

There were fireworks and whistles, and shouts of “God is great”. Those released were hoisted onto others’ shoulders or embraced.

According to a list provided by the Palestinian Authority’s Commission for Prisoners’ Affairs, all of those released are women or teens, the youngest 15. Israel detained them for what it said were offences related to Israel’s security, from throwing stones to more serious accusations like attempted murder.

Saleh Beara is waiting at Ofer Prison gates for the release of his wife Abeer.

Abber was arrested in October and was separated from her children, aged two and four.

“She did not stand any trial or face any sentencing,” Beara told Al Jazeera.

“Throughout her detention, it was very difficult if not impossible to have any news of her. This put us in a very hard mental and emotional state.”

Beara said their family was “overjoyed” when they saw Abeer on the list of prisoners set to be released as part of the ceasefire deal.

“What a relief,” he said. “We were holding our breath thinking her name might not be on the list. But it was.”