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Key Points
- Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai hostages in Gaza as part of a phased ceasefire agreement.
- The handover took place in Khan Younis, with militants passing hostages to the Red Cross in a chaotic scene.
- Israel later released 110 Palestinian detainees in the occupied West Bank.
He and defence minister Israel Katz said they had ordered a delay in the release of the prisoners “until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is assured”.
Zubeidi has been known as the strongman of the West Bank city of Jenin, a hotbed of Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation and the site of frequent Israeli army raids, including a major operation just a week ago.
Zakaria Zubeidi, former Jenin chief of the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, reacts as the crowd greets him after being released from prison as part of an Israel-Hamas prisoner’s exchange deal. Source: EPA / Alaa Badarneh /
Palestinian health officials said at least 14 Palestinians were hurt by Israeli fire, some with live and rubber bullets, others from gas inhalation, as they gathered at the entrance to Ramallah to welcome the freed detainees.
Some prisoners from East Jerusalem had arrived at their homes while others, who were due to be taken to Gaza or deported to Egypt, had yet to reach their destinations.
Israel still lists 82 captives in Gaza, with around 30 declared dead in absentia.
