Israel releases Palestinian prisoners after mediators assure of safe release of hostages

Buses transporting freed Palestinian prisoners departed from an Israeli prison on Thursday, following a brief delay caused by the chaotic release of three Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals by Gaza militants.

According to AFP, as dusk approached, two buses left Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.

This came after Israel confirmed it had received guarantees from mediators regarding the “safe release” of captives.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the prisoner release would be put on hold until those assurances were secured.

Israel was set to release 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, in exchange for the three Israelis released on Thursday, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club advocacy group.

This marks the third hostage-prisoner exchange under a ceasefire agreement reached on January 19, aimed at concluding the conflict in Gaza.

Another release is scheduled for Saturday, during which three Israeli men are expected to be freed.

On Thursday, militants in Gaza released three Israelis and five Thai nationals, all of whom were captured during Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Prime Minister Netanyahu condemned the “shocking scenes” that unfolded during the hostage releases in Khan Yunis, where footage depicted gunmen struggling to manage the crowd of Gazans eager to witness the handover.

The first to be released on Thursday was 20-year-old Israeli soldier Agam Berger, who was handed over to officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

Prior to her release, she was seen on stage with masked Hamas members wearing distinctive green headbands, being encouraged to wave to the crowd.

Israel’s military said the three Israeli hostages and five Thais were now back in Israel and were taken to hospitals.

The two other freed Israelis are civilians Gadi Moses, 80, and Arbel Yehud, 29, both of whom also hold German nationality.

“We are relieved and rejoice with all the hostages who have been released,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X. He urged the release of all remaining captives.

Netanyahu’s office named the freed Thais as Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Tanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak Lamnau and Bannawat Saethao.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said she was “elated” that they were out of captivity.

“It is confirmed everyone, my son did not die. Thank you God,” AFP quoted a sobbing Wiwwaeo Sriaoun as saying at her home in rural Thailand as she heard confirmation her farm worker son was among those freed.

In devastated Khan Yunis, dense crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of Yehud and Moses near the childhood home of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who Israel killed in October.

On Wednesday, the Moses family said it had “received with great excitement the wonderful news of our beloved Gadi’s return”.

The ceasefire hinges on the release of Israeli hostages taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, in exchange for around 1,900 people – mostly Palestinians – in Israeli custody.

Before Thursday, Hamas had released seven hostages, with 290 prisoners freed in exchange.

Aid trucks row

The truce deal has allowed a surge of aid into the devastated Gaza Strip, where the war has created a long-running humanitarian crisis.

However, senior Hamas officials accused Israel of slowing aid deliveries, with one citing key items such as fuel, tents, heavy machinery and other equipment.

COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body that oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, called this “totally fake news”.

As the text of the agreement – mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States – has not been made public, AFP was not able to verify its terms on aid.

Displacement ‘injustice’

The ceasefire deal is currently in its first, 42-day phase, which should see 33 hostages freed. The Thai hostages are not included in that number.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for sealing the agreement, which took effect before his inauguration, and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who took part in the talks, met Netanyahu in Israel on Wednesday.

Trump has invited Netanyahu to the White House on February 4, according to the premier’s office.

After the truce began, Trump touted a plan to “clean out” Gaza, calling for Palestinians to relocate to neighbouring countries such as Egypt or Jordan.

However, both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan’s King Abdullah II rejected this.

More than 376,000 displaced Palestinians have gone back to northern Gaza since Israel reopened access this week, according to the UN humanitarian office OCHA, with many returning to little more than rubble.

“My house is destroyed,” 33-year-old Mohammed al-Faleh told AFP.

“The biggest problem is that there is no water,” he added. “Food aid is reaching Gaza… but there is no gas or electricity. We bake bread on a fire fuelled by wood and nylon.”

Israel cut ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from Thursday following accusations some of its staff belong to Hamas, a move likely to hamper delivery of vital services.

UNRWA has long been the lead agency in coordinating aid to Gaza.

A series of investigations, including one led by French former foreign minister Catherine Colonna, found some “neutrality related issues” at UNRWA – but stressed Israel had not provided evidence that a significant number of its staff belonged to “terrorist” organisations.