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Middle East: Gaza ceasefire back on after hostage deal
Middle East: Gaza ceasefire back on after hostage deal

Middle East: Gaza ceasefire back on after hostage deal

2 weeks ago

Israel and Hamas agreed overnight to resume a prisoner swap, meaning the fragile ceasefire in Gaza can continue.

Egyptian mediators said on Wednesday that a deal had been secured between Hamas and Israel to exchange the bodies of some hostages held in Gaza for prisoners in Israeli jails.

Hamas will release the bodies of four hostages, while Israel will free around 600 Palestinian prisoners, many of them women and children, Egyptian and Israeli sources told the Associated Press and Reuters.

The Israeli government had delayed their release for several days, which Hamas had called “a serious violation” of the ceasefire terms.

Hamas, which is classified as a terror organization by the US, the EU, Germany and others, also confirmed details of the deal overnight.

The move keeps the fragile ceasefire intact with only a few days left in the first phase of the agreement. Despite repeated accusations of violations from both sides, including Israeli airstrikes, the deal has largely held since it went into effect on January 19.

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