Israel frees 643 Palestinians after Hamas delivers

• Netanyahu dispatches negotiators to Cairo
• FM says delegation will gape into extending truce

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatched ne­­gotiators to Cairo on Thu­rsday after Hamas han­ded over the stays of 4 prisoners in exch­an­­ge for the discharge of a total bunch of Palestinian prisoners.

The in a single day swap used to be the final stage of an preliminary deal beneath the fragile truce that took accomplish on January 19, largely halting higher than 15 months of conflict in Gaza.

Below the first half which expires on Satur­d­ay, Hamas freed 25 residing Israeli and dual-national prisoners and returned the our bodies of eight others.

It also released 5 Thai prisoners delivery air the deal’s phrases.

Israel, in return, used to be ex­pected to free around 1,900 Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas officers instructed AFP that Israel had freed about 1,700 up to now.

Israel’s Penal advanced Service confirmed that 643 Pal­e­stinians were transferred from several prisons all around the nation and released beneath the phrases of the truce deal after Hamas handed over the our bodies of 4 prisoners.

AFP journalists observed hu­­ndreds of prisoners being released early Thursday in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution. Egy­pt’s articulate-linked Al-Qahera News said 97, marked for deportation by Israel, had arrived at Gaza’s Rafah crossing.

The prisoners freed on Thursday were meant to be released final weekend but Israel delayed the approach after Hamas staged account for handover ceremonies.

Hamas said Thursday’s handover would snatch attach in inner most “to forestall the occupation from finding any pretext for extend”.

In Ramallah, several freed Palestinians were lifted onto shoulders. A community of females wept around one released prisoner, and a baby held aloft flashed victory signs with both arms.

“We were in hell and we got right here out of hell. Lately is my precise day of initiating,” said one prisoner, Yahya Shraideh.

Hours after the handover, an Israeli campaign community confirmed “with profound sorrow” the ide­ntities of the four our bodies Hamas returned on Thu­rsday.

Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan, Itzik Elgarat and Shlomo Mansour “had been laid to eternal leisure in Israel”, said the Hostages and Lacking Households Forum.

Netanyahu pledged on Thursday to work “relentlessly” to bring reduction all the prisoners.

President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday that Israel had a “correct obligation” to sec­ure the prisoners’ return.

Negotiations

After the swap, Hamas called on Israel to approach to delayed talks on a 2d half of the deal, supposed to lead to a permanent discontinuance to the conflict. “We now possess prick off the route sooner than the enemy’s spurious justifications, and it has no need but to delivery negotiations for the 2d half,” Hamas said.

In a while Thursday, Netanyahu’s office said he instructed Israeli negotiators to head to Cairo for the Gaza talks.

Israel International Minister Gideon Saar instructed newshounds in Jerusalem the delegation would shuttle to Egypt to study whether or no longer there used to be traditional ground to barter an extension to the truce.

“We said we’re ready to manufacture the framework longer in return to release more prisoners. If it is a ways that you just would judge, we’ll attain that.”

Two authorities offici­als instructed Reuters that Israel used to be wanting for to boost the preliminary half, with Hamas releasing three prisoners each and a week in trade for Palestinians held by Israel.

In Washington, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy said Israeli representatives were en path to talks on the next half of the ceasefire.

“We’re making loads of development. Israel is sending a team correct now as we talk,” Steve Witkoff said.

The potentialities for the 2d half are a ways from sure, nonetheless.

The most recent truce agre­ement used to be finest arrived at after months of gruelling negotiations, and some me­­mbers of Netanyahu’s coalition are concerned to res­ume the conflict and raze Hamas as soon as and for all.

The October 7 assault resulted in the deaths of 1,218 folks in Israel, per an AFP tally of Israeli legit figures.

Israel’s retaliation in Gaza has killed no longer lower than Forty eight,365 folks, per the health ministry in the territory, figures that the United International locations considers credible.

Printed in Morning time, February 28th, 2025