22.02.2025 11:41
In the 7th round of the prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas, Hamas handed over 2 of the 6 living Israeli male prisoners to Red Cross teams. Israel, on the other hand, will release 602 detained Palestinians. Hamas stated that they are ready to move on to the second phase of a comprehensive exchange agreement, which includes a permanent ceasefire and Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza.
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The first phase of the ceasefire agreement that began on January 19 in the Gaza Strip includes the 7th exchange process. The military wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, handed over 37-year-old Avera Mengistu, a dual citizen of Israel and Ethiopia, and 39-year-old Tal Shoham, a dual citizen of Israel and Austria, to Red Cross officials in the city of Rafah, located in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip.
At the platform where the handover ceremony took place, a Red Cross official and a member of the Qassam Brigades signed a document regarding the handover of the captives. The captives, who were given a document confirming their release, were brought up to the platform. Later, the captives were loaded into a Red Cross vehicle and set off to be handed over to Israeli forces in Gaza.
WEAPONS CAPTURED FROM ISRAELI SOLDIERS DISPLAYED
On the giant poster at the platform during the handover ceremony, it was emphasized that Hamas conducted the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation against Israel on October 7, 2023, with the phrase "We are your flood." The banner also referenced "dual citizen" Israelis. Weapons captured by Hamas from Israeli soldiers were also displayed at the ceremony.
4 MORE CAPTIVES TO BE HANDED OVER
Avera Mengistu entered Gaza from Israel in September 2014, while Tal Shoham was captured on October 7, 2023. The other 4 captives expected to be released today, Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem-Tov, Omer Wenkert, and Hisham al-Sayed, will be handed over to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, located in the center of Gaza.
ISRAEL WILL RELEASE 602 PALESTINIANS
As part of the prisoner exchange, Israel will release a total of 602 Palestinians, including 50 who were sentenced to life imprisonment and 445 who were arrested after October 7, 2023, in the coming hours. More than 100 Palestinians will be deported after their release.
HAMAS: WE ARE READY TO MOVE TO THE 2ND PHASE
In a statement from Hamas, it was said, "We are ready to move to the 2nd phase, which involves a comprehensive exchange agreement, a permanent ceasefire, and Israel's complete withdrawal from Gaza."
WHAT HAPPENED?
The ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement reached between Hamas and Israel came into effect on Sunday, January 19, at 12:15 PM Turkish time. In the first six rounds of the prisoner exchange, 1,135 Palestinian captives in Israeli prisons and 19 Israeli captives in Gaza were released, and 5 Thai captives in Gaza were also freed. This week, the bodies of 4 Israeli captives were handed over. According to the ceasefire agreement, which will consist of three phases, it is expected that approximately 1,900 Palestinian captives and 33 Israeli captives will be released in the first 42-day phase.
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