Gaza ceasefire: Beginning of war's end? Hostage release brings hope | Pics

The first three Israeli hostages released as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Israel freed ninety Palestinian prisoners in return. ...read more

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Published on Jan 20, 2025 02:17 PM IST

The beginning of Gaza war's end might have finally begun as the first phase of ceasefire agreement took place on Sunday, with Hamas releasing three female Israeli hostages and Israel sending to Gaza 90 Palestinian prisoners. In pic: People gather near vehicles as Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, three hostages who have been held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 2023 attack, are released as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza Strip, (via REUTERS)

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After a slight delay, as Israel sought a list of hostages to be released from Hamas, the long-awaited ceasefire finally took effect Sunday morning with the first phase seeing hostage and prisoner exchange. In pic: former Israeli hostage Doron Steinbracher with her mother Simone at an undisclosed location in Israel on January 19, 2025 after a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal in the war between Israel and Hamas was implemented.(AFP)

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Ninety percent of Gaza's population is estimated to have been displaced by the conflict, with several areas having been reduced to rubble. In pic: a Palestinian man embraces a loved one who was released from jail along with some 90 prisoners set free by Israel in the early hours of January 20, 2025 in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah.(AFP)

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Palestinian prisoner Mawaad al-Haj (R), who was released from jail in a previous exchange in late 2023 and then imprisoned another time, stands next to his father upon the arrival of some 90 prisoners set free by Israel in the early hours of January 20, 2025 in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah.(AFP)

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 The uncle of 17-year-old Palestinian prisoner Qassem Jaafra kisses his forehead upon his arrival home in the Silwan neighbourhood in east Jerusalem following his release in the early hours of January 20, 2025 along with 90 other Palestinian prisoners.  (AFP/ AHMAD GHARABLI )

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 Gaza's Health Ministry reports that approximately 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli operations. In pic: a Palestinian woman cries as she embraces a loved one who was released from jail along with some 90 prisoners set free by Israel in the early hours of January 20, 2025 in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah. (AFP/Zain JAAFAR)

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Rose Khwais, a freed Palestinian prisoner, is kissed by her father after her release from an Israeli jail as part of a hostages-prisoners swap and a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Hamas and Israel, in Jerusalem, January 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Jamal Awad)

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More than 630 assistance trucks arrived in Gaza on Sunday, carrying desperately needed supplies to the region's north, where the damage has been most bad. Israelis celebrate the release of three hostages who had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza as they gather in Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.(AP)

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Humanitarian groups are stepping up their efforts to redress the massive devastation left by the conflict in Gaza as Israel starts to reduce its military presence there. In pic: a Palestinian prisoner is welcomed by a relative upon the arrival of some 90 prisoners set free by Israel in the early hours of January 20, 2025 in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia, on the outskirts of Ramallah. (AFP)

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It is unclear if the violence will return after the first phase, but negotiations for the second, more challenging phase are set to start in less than two weeks. In pic: Crowds cheered, chanted and honked car horns as two buses carrying the prisoners arrived in Beitunia following their release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal that began on January 19 and saw three Israeli hostages freed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.(AFP)

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The three ladies were reunited with their families in Israel after being encircled by thousands of people, including armed Hamas members wearing masks.(AFP)

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With the release of three hostages from Gaza and the first group of 90 Palestinian inmates from Israeli detention, the truce between Israel and Hamas has overcome its first major obstacle. In pic: the three Israeli hostages (L to R) Emily Damari, Romi Gonen, and Doron Steinbracher, sitting in a Hamas vehicle before being released to the Red Cross.(AFP Photo)

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Israeli military commanders reportedly warned against public shows of pleasure when the first Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli prisons, which led to celebrations across the West Bank. In pic: released hostages are helped be members of the International Committee of the Red Cross as they arrive at the Rafah border crossing( REUTERS)

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The 42-day truce is anticipated to be followed by the release of approximately 2,000 Palestinian inmates and another 33 hostages. In pic: a Red Cross medic looking on as newly released Israeli hostages and a Hamas fighter wave goodbye before boarding a Red Cross vehicle, in the Gaza Strip(AFP)

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Emily Damari, a 28-year-old freed Hamas captive, lost two fingers in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, according to her family. When the British-Israeli national was taken prisoner by Hamas militants, her fingers were blown off. Romi Gonen, age 23, and Doron Steinbrecher, age 31, were also freed with Damari.(via REUTERS)

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Palestinian Hamas militants hand over Doron Steinbrecher, a hostage who had been held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 2023 attack, to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of the ceasefire.(REUTERS)

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Thousands of Israelis celebrated, hugged, or sobbed in a plaza when the three female captives emerged from a car flanked by armed Hamas members on a huge screen outside the defence headquarters in Tel Aviv.(REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas)