On Saturday, Hamas, the group in control of Gaza, let go of three Israeli men they had held as hostages. The Red Cross received them safely. This release was part of a delicate agreement that has helped stop the fighting in the Gaza Strip for now. Although U.S. President Donald Trump suggested moving Palestinians out of Gaza, this idea was quickly rejected by both Palestinians and many people around the world. It hasn’t changed the current ceasefire, which is supposed to last until early March.
The hostages released were Eli Sharabi, 52, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, and Or Levy, 34. They looked very thin and weak as they were brought out of a white van by armed Hamas fighters in the town of Deir al-Balah. All three men were taken during a violent attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023. For the first time, the hostages had to make public statements during their release. Many people in the crowd cheered and cried when they saw their loved ones coming home.
In exchange for these hostages, Israel is set to release about 183 Palestinian prisoners, some of whom have been jailed for many years. While Israel sees these prisoners as terrorists, Palestinians view them as heroes fighting against what they see as occupation.
There are many families in Palestine who have someone they know in prison. Since the ceasefire began, over 100 hostages have been released, but many more are still missing. In December, there was a brief ceasefire that allowed some hostages to go free, and many Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt for medical help.
Now, both Israel and Hamas must decide what to do next. Talks about the next steps are uncertain. If they can’t agree before the ceasefire ends in early March, the fighting might start again. Israel still wants to defeat Hamas, but Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages if the fighting stops and Israel pulls out of Gaza.
The situation is complicated. In the October 7 attack, many people in Israel lost their lives, and a large number of Palestinians have died since. Both sides have suffered greatly. The fight for peace continues, but there’s no clear plan for the future yet.
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