Hamas handed over Israeli soldier Agam Berger in a third hostage-prisoner exchange under a ceasefire deal aiming to end the war in Gaza. The release follows the exchange of two Israelis and five Thai captives. While the truce allows aid into Gaza, Hamas accuses Israel of delaying deliveries, which Israel denies.
UPDATE: JERUSALEM — Hamas on Thursday handed over Israel i woman hostage Agam Berger, a soldier, as a third hostage-prisoner exchange between Israel and the Palestinian militant group got under way, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist reported. Berger, dressed in military fatigues, was paraded by Hamas militants on a stage in the city of Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip before being handed over to officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Israel's military said she was back in Israel and would undergo 'an initial medical assessment.' Two more Israelis and five Thai captives were also set for release on Thursday under a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office earlier identified the two Israelis as Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses, and confirmed that the five Thais would also be freed. Ahead of the release, which sources in Hamas and allied militant group Islamic Jihad said would take place at the Jabalia refugee camp and at Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Islamic Jihad aired video footage of Moses and Yehud hugging each other and smiling. On Wednesday, the Moses family said it had 'received with great excitement the wonderful news of our beloved Gadi's return.' A fourth exchange is scheduled for the weekend, but Hamas accused Israel on Wednesday of jeopardizing the deal by holding up aid deliveries, an allegation Israel dismissed as 'fake news.' The ceasefire that began on Jan. 19 hinges on the release of Israeli hostages taken during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel, in exchange for 1,900 people — mostly Palestinians — in Israeli custody. Before Berger was handed over, Hamas had released seven hostages, with 290 prisoners freed in exchange. Israel will release 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, in exchange for the three Israelis, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group said. The next swap on Saturday will see three Israeli men released, Netanyahu's office said. Aid trucks row The truce deal has allowed truckloads of aid into devastated Gaza, where the war has created a long-running humanitarian crisis. However, senior Hamas officials accused Israel of slowing aid deliveries, with one citing key items such as fuel, tents, heavy machinery and other equipment. 'According to the agreement, these materials were supposed to enter during the first week of the ceasefire,' one official said. 'We warn that continued delays and failure to address these points will affect the natural progression of the agreement, including the prisoner exchange,' he added. The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, the Israeli defense ministry body that oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, called this 'totally fake news.' Between Sunday and on Wednesday, '3,000 trucks entered Gaza,' a spokesman said. 'The agreement says it should be 4,200 in seven days.' As the text of the agreement — mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States — has not been made public, AFP was not able to verify its terms on aid. Displacement 'injustice' The ceasefire deal is currently in its first, 42-day phase, which should see 33 hostages freed. The Thai hostages are not included in that number. Next, the parties are due to start discussing a long-term end to the war. The third and final phase of the deal should see the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of any remaining dead hostages. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for sealing the agreement despite it taking effect before his inauguration, and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who took part in the talks, met Netanyahu in Israel on Wednesday. Trump has invited Netanyahu to the White House on Feb. 4, according to the premier's office. After the truce took effect, Trump touted a plan to 'clean out' Gaza, calling for Palestinians to relocate to neighboring countries such as Egypt or Jordan. However, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Wednesday the forced displacement of Palestinians was an 'injustice that we cannot take part in.' Jordan's King Abdullah II stressed 'the need to keep the Palestinians on their land and to guarantee their legitimate rights, in accordance with the Israeli and Palestinian two-state solution.
GAZA HAMAS ISRAEL CEASEFIRE HOSTAGES PRISONER EXCHANGE AID INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DONALD TRUMP UNITED STATES EGYPT QATAR
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