Israel and Hamas conducted the fifth exchange of Israeli captives held in Gaza for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons on Saturday as part of Gaza’s ceasefire deal.
The exchange of Israeli captives, held in Deir el-Balah, saw the release of three Israelis – Eli Sharabi, Or Levy and Ohad Ben Amin. 183 Palestinians have also been released, including 72 from the occupied West Bank held in Ofer Prison and 111 that were detained in Gaza during the course of the war.
Negotiations are also expected to start this week on phase two of Gaza’s ceasefire, which will see further exchanges and set out a roadmap for an end to the war. These have been delayed following consultations between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US.
Trump has been floating a widely condemned plan that would see the US take over Gaza while many or most of its inhabitants are displaced. This, he claims, would allow the devastated territory to be rebuilt as a new ‘Riviera’ of the Middle East.
In the occupied West Bank, Israel’s military attack on Jenin has continued into its 19th day. Israel has also assaulted the city of Tulkarm, the town of Tammun and the Al-Fara’a refugee camp.
Dozens of people have been killed since Israel launched its latest assault on the occupied West Bank, with many more being detained.
