Three released hostages back in Israel after being freed in Gaza ceasefire

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Israel says three hostages – who had been held by Hamas in Gaza for 15 months – are back in Israeli territory

The hostages were released by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza City hours after a ceasefire began, before being handed to the Israeli military

They have been confirmed as 31-year-old Doron Steinbrecher, dual British-Israeli Emily Damari, 28, and 24-year-old Romi Gonen

Emily was seen hugging her mother, Amanda, in a video call shared with the BBC’s Lucy Manning

Hamas says for every hostage released, 30 Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails

The long-awaited ceasefire in Gaza came into force after a last-minute delay, with displaced Palestinians beginning to return to the cities they fled

In the hours the ceasefire was delayed, Israel continued hitting Gaza, killing 19 more people, according to the Hamas-run civil defence agency

The most fragile deal so far?

The history of the Middle East is of wars, peace-making, and deal-breaking. So many agreements, signed with cautious hope, have come and gone. Every breakdown seeds more distrust, and deeper anger; they strengthen spoilers on both sides.

This deal is, arguably, the most fragile of all. Gaza lies in utter ruin. Israel is scarred by October 7th. Prime Minister Netanyahu, and his allies on the far right, are vowing to stop any path towards a Palestinian state – what Palestinians and capitals the world over believe is the only way to end this endless cycle.

Recent polls show only a minority of Palestinians and Israeli Jews still believe in it. But a recent survey, by researchers on both sides, showed that more than 60% preferred a regional peace based on a two-state solution and normalisation if the alternative was a war on many fronts.

That’s where this deal may be different. Regional powers are more engaged than ever before. And the US, which has always played a pivotal role, will soon be led by a president who’s already proved he’s prepared to exert pressure to stop wars.

Whether that will make the difference will soon be clear. It’s always been said – that only warring sides themselves can make peace.

 

BBC

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