Hamas hands over first Israeli hostages as Gaza truce begins

  • 20/01/2025



GAZA STRIP: The first three Israeli hostages were released Sunday under a long-awaited Gaza truce aimed at ending more than 15 months of war that has ravaged the Palestinian territory.
As the ceasefire took effect in the morning, thousands of displaced, war-weary Palestinians set off across the devastated Gaza Strip to return home.
In the northern area of Jabalia, hundreds streamed down a sandy path, heading back to an apocalyptic landscape piled with rubble and destroyed buildings.

"We are finally in our home. There is no home left, just rubble, but it's our home," said Rana Mohsen, 43, back in Jabalia.
An initial 42-day truce brokered by Qatari, US and Egyptian mediators is meant to enable a surge of sorely needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, as a total of 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for around 1,900 Palestinians in Israeli custody.

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