Israel has reached a ceasefire deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas after the release of three hostages held captive since last year’s war. The hostages, including an American and a Russian dual citizen, were set to be released on Saturday in exchange for the release of 36 Palestinians serving life sentences.
Hamas had previously threatened to delay the release, citing ceasefire violations by Israel, but agreed to move forward after a surge in violence between the two sides. In return, Israel is expected to release hundreds of Palestinians arrested during the recent war and allow them to return to Gaza.
The deal marks a significant breakthrough in the ongoing conflict, which has killed over 47,000 Palestinians since October last year. Hamas had initially proposed a prisoner swap as part of the agreement, but Israel pushed for a more comprehensive deal that includes the release of additional hostages.
The ceasefire was brokered by mediators from Egypt and Qatar, who worked tirelessly to resolve the dispute between the two sides. The talks were deemed “positive” by Hamas, which has committed to upholding the ceasefire agreement.
However, concerns remain about the future of the deal. An Israeli official confirmed that Israel is pushing for the release of additional hostages in the coming days, and talks to hammer out details for the next phase of the ceasefire are still pending. The official noted that these talks should have begun more than a week ago, as per the ceasefire agreement.
The release of the three hostages marks a significant development in the conflict, with many Israelis relieved that their citizens were finally being released from captivity. One of the released hostages, Keith Siegel, credited President Trump for his role in securing his release and expressed gratitude to the president’s leadership.
Despite the progress made, the situation remains tense, with thousands of Palestinians still held captive by Israel and concerns about their fate lingering. The international community continues to push for a lasting resolution to the conflict, but it remains unclear whether the ceasefire deal will hold long-term.
Source: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/14/u-s-russian-nationals-among-next-israeli-hostages-for-release-from-gaza