Israeli authorities have released 42 people as part of the seventh and final group of Palestinians freed under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the WAFA news agency reported.
According to the agency, 37 of those released were brought to Ramallah, the administrative capital of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Another five were taken to Jerusalem.
Earlier, Arab television channels aired footage showing a bus of the International Committee of the Red Cross arriving in Ramallah, where it was met by a large crowd.
The seventh group includes a total of 641 Palestinians, among them 151 serving life sentences, as well as 445 residents of Gaza — including 45 women and children — who were arrested after October 7, 2023.
The Gaza ceasefire agreement faced another crisis on the night of February 23, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel had decided to postpone the planned release of more than 600 Palestinians, originally scheduled for February 22. The delay was to remain in place until Hamas agreed to stop holding public ceremonies marking the release of Israeli hostages or the return of their bodies. However, by Wednesday night, Hamas announced that Israel would proceed with the release of the captives, who were due to be freed on February 22, in exchange for the bodies of four hostages.
On January 15, it was announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement to release hostages and implement a ceasefire in the enclave. The deal, structured into three phases, came into effect on January 19. During the first 42-day phase, Hamas is required to release at least 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
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Based on TASS materials