A ceasefire deal has been agreed

[gloriagloria]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c3rwqpj70ert

I really hope this is the beginning of peace and prosperity for both sides.

I also agree that it is wrong that these prisoners were released and is unlikely to promote peace, but in all the available lists I've seen I can't find evidence of anyone convicted of murder being returned to the West Bank? Amouri, Abu Srour, Abu Warda, Odeh, Qassim and Abbassi have all been deported. Aradeh has gone back to Ramallah and was charged with attempted murder and I think several other "lower profile" detainees charged with non-fatal violence have also been returned so I'm not saying there aren't any prisoner convicted of violent crimes - just not murder. Zubeidi had served a term for violence in the past, but had been held without trial since 2019. Happy to be corrected though - it's not easy to get comprehensive information.

I did not say they were released to the West Bank. I said there have been jubilant scenes in the West Bank regarding their release. I don't think it will bring any comfort to Israelis to watch these men deported (Shadi Amouri, Ashraf Abu Srour, Mohammed Abu Warda, Mohammed Odeh, Wael Qassim, Wissam Abbasi, The Abu Hamid brothers). Between them, they have organised a series of suicide bombings and deadly attacks that killed and wounded hundreds of civilians, both Israeli and foreign nationals. They are held in high regard in Gaza and the West Bank.

This repeating pattern of violence, fueled by revenge and unresolved grievances, leads to further violence. If the people of Gaza don't suppress Palestinian militancy, Israel will continue to use extreme force, and this chain reaction of hostility and aggression will never cease.

@GentleScroller I agree that all those who have committed acts of violence should be tried and convicted fairly and then serve their terms, whether Palestinian or Israeli (at the moment settlers are literally getting away with murder) and without justice being served there is unlikely to be peace.

The 50 sick and injured children who were medically evacuated today are the first of 2500 children who have been identified as at risk of dying

Some have waited 9 months to leave

Just read a very sad update on the medical child evacuations above

Only 37 were actually evacuated as 2 died and the remaining 11 were either too sick to travel or couldn't be located

Thought that the 'at risk of dying' was maybe a bit overly dramatic - but clearly not

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un

When I read that they had been waiting 9 months, my immediate thought was it's a miracle they are still all alive.

So many bodies are still under the rubble. During the ceasefire many families have gone back north just for the purpose of trying to extract their loved ones where they can, just to be able to bury them properly.

Some of the detainees from Gaza who were released today, have come back to find out their family members were killed during their detainment. One father came back to have the news broken to him that all his children are dead.

Heartbreaking 💔 so cruel and unnecessary what threat do serious ill children pose.

May their little souls rest in peace fly high

I did wonder this too - it was from the official UN website

IDK but there are many many people in Gaza - adults and children - who have untreated chronic illnesses - no regular medication no dialysis no hospitals or healthcare whose lives have must been hanging by a thread for months

.

💔

Tg

Hamas delays naming of hostages to be released, alleging ceasefire breach
Hamas has accused Israel of multiple breaches of the ceasefire agreement, alleging that it has delayed hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks and only allowed in a fraction of the tents needed to accommodate people who have lost their homes in the conflict.
It comes just a day before the next hostage-for-prisoner exchange was due to take place under the ceasefire deal.
Hamas delayed the naming of three hostages to be released on Saturday after making the claims, it was not immediately clear whether there would be any delay to the exchange.
Hamas said only 8,500 of 12,000 scheduled trucks have so far entered Gaza, and that most of them contained food and secondary goods like chips and chocolate instead of more items that are more urgently needed.
“This demonstrates clear manipulation of relief and shelter priorities,” it said.
It added that only 10% of the 200,000 tents and 60,000 caravans needed to provide shelter had arrived.
Hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are living in tents and other makeshift shelters after being displaced by the war.
Almost three weeks after the start of the ceasefire, “the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate dangerously,” Hamas said.
Israel has dismissed claims it has delayed aid supplies as “completely unfounded” and says it has allowed in thousands of trucks, including tents and shelters.

Toi

The Hamas terror group names three male hostages who are set to be released tomorrow from captivity, following an hours-long delay past the 4 p.m. deadline.
Israeli officials have requested that media outlets not publish the names until the families of the hostages have been notified.

Gallant says government ‘didn’t do everything it could to bring back the hostages’

Gallant claimed the framework of the current ceasefire-hostage deal looks nearly identical to an earlier proposal, on the table in April and finalized over the summer. If it had been accepted then, he insisted, Israel could have brought back more living hostages while releasing fewer Palestinian security prisoners.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/gallant-says-government-didnt-do-everything-it-could-to-bring-back-the-hostages/amp/

This BBC article is about the hostages to be released, and, the lack of aid trucks claim by Hamas.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9vyz747eo
It mentions that this claim contradicts a UN statement, linked in the above article and below, detailing how 10000 trucks (more now obviously) have been delivered.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1159836
The UN report specifically mentions food, medicines and tents being onboard the trucks.

Glad the ceasefire goes ahead and the right amounts of aid is entering Gaza

The 3 male Israeli hostages are being handed over to the Red Cross in central Gaza rn

The crowd control is looking better so far

They look starved. It's quite a contrast to the masked men with guns around them.

Interesting you say that because I thought everyone in the photos i saw were looking too thin/ undernourished

It's always IMO been a high risk strategy trying to 'starve out' Hamas and hope that the hostages haven't been too badly affected

From today? I haven't seen any of the gunmen looking undernourished, but maybe you've seen others? I think the ones on twitter are from the Al Jazeera feed.

The first photos I saw were from Reuters - in more recent ones from AP the hostages do indeed look pretty emaciated

Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy. That is their names.

All three men are clearly malnourished and emaciated. Under duress they are being made to perform on stage for the gratification of Hamas and their supporters in Gaza and throughout the world. The torture and humiliation continues until the last moment of their captivity.

Eli's British-born wife, Lianne, and two daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were murdered in the attack. His brother, Yossi, was taken from Kibbutz Beeri, his death has since been confirmed. We don't know if Eli is aware of their deaths.

Or"s wife, Einav was murdered in a bomb shelter in front of him. They have a three year old son.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-67245135

Lianne's family in the UK spoke this morning. They have been to hell and back. They are a remarkable family, showing true courage at this horrific time.