Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that five Thai citizens and three Israeli individuals who were held captive by Palestinian armed groups in Gaza will be released on Thursday as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement.
The names of the five Thai nationals set to be released are unknown, but Arbel Yehud, Agam Berger, and Gadi Moses will also be among those freed on Thursday, according to Netanyahu’s office.
The ceasefire agreement, which began on January 19, is dependent on the exchange of Israeli captives held by Palestinian groups in Gaza for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. So far, Hamas has released seven captives, with 290 Palestinian prisoners being freed in return.
Bittersweet homecoming
Thousands of displaced Palestinians have been returning to their homes in northern Gaza following the ceasefire agreement. More than 500,000 Palestinians have made the journey to northern Gaza in the last 72 hours after Israel opened crossing points, as reported by Gaza’s Government Media Office.
Many, like Saif al-Din Qazaat and Mona Abu Aathra, have expressed mixed emotions upon returning to their homes, which have been severely impacted by the recent conflict.
Aid accusations
Truckloads of aid have been permitted to enter Gaza since the ceasefire began. However, some Hamas officials have accused Israel of delaying aid deliveries, claiming that essential items for Gaza’s recovery have not been provided as promised.
Despite these accusations, significant amounts of aid have still entered Gaza, including a shipment from Turkey containing humanitarian supplies. The needs of the war-torn population, however, remain immense and have not been fully met.
Israel is also planning to enforce a ban on the operations of the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Israel, which could have devastating consequences for the agency’s operations in Gaza.
