- Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees
- He declared a “historic dawn in a new Middle East.”
- The initial agreement followed a ceasefire that took effect on Friday
The US-brokered plan to end the two-year Gaza war advanced significantly on Monday, as Hamas returned all living Israeli hostages in the crucial first phase of a major exchange.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that in response, Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including about 250 serving life sentences and 1,700 held without charge.
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Emotional scenes unfolded as Israeli families screamed and cried with happiness, embracing their freed loved ones.
Similarly, crowds waving flags joyfully greeted the released Palestinians on buses arriving in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. One Palestinian woman stated her heart had finally found peace, while a man described the happiness as indescribable.
US President Donald Trump arrived in Israel right after the first reunions, delivering a speech to the Knesset where he declared a “historic dawn in a new Middle East.”
The latter phases of the plan, which involve intense negotiations over Israeli troop withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and the future governance of the Gaza Strip by a reformed Palestinian Authority, face numerous sticking points.
The initial agreement followed a ceasefire that took effect on Friday, allowing a significant increase in humanitarian aid to enter Gaza over the weekend.
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