US EditionAfter Hostages and Prisoners Freed, Complex Issues Remain for Israel-Hamas
The release of 20 living hostages and numerous prisoners marks the first step in a fragile ceasefire, while core issues like disarmament and Palestinian statehood remain unresolved.
- Israel and Hamas advanced a first-phase exchange under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on Monday, freeing hostages and prisoners after the October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and took 251 captives.
- Thornier issues such as disarmament and governance remain unsettled, with Israel insisting Hamas disarm and the U.S. plan proposing international oversight and a role for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
- Twenty living hostages were reunited with families, prompting celebrations, while four deceased hostages were returned and another 24 are to be handed over; prisoners included 250 people serving life sentences.
- U.S. President Donald Trump traveled to the region, addressed Israel's parliament urging peace, joined world leaders in Egypt to advance the deal, and about 200 U.S. troops monitor the ceasefire.
- Gaza's infrastructure lies in ruins and reconstruction funding is unclear, Gaza's Health Ministry reports more than 67,000 killed, and the conflict's ripple effects have reached across the Middle East while political blame endures at home.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Gaza ceasefire explained: Hostages freed, Palestinian prisoners released, and the path ahead
After nearly two years of conflict, a fragile calm has settled across Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, brokered with the mediation of the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, is beginning to show results, with hostages being freed, prisoners released, and humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza.
Sydney Morning Herald
The AgeOnce hostages and prisoners are freed, what happens next in Gaza?
There was elation when the hostages were released, but difficult questions remain including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza – highlighting the fragility of an agreement.
Mideast truce takes hold: Last 20 living hostages, from 251 taken by Hamas in 2023, freed
Israel and Hamas have taken a significant step in the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza war by releasing hostages and prisoners. The move raises hopes for a long term truce in the region. However, unresolved issues like Hamas disarmament and…
People in Connecticut hope for lasting peace in the Middle East
People in Connecticut hoped the release of hostages and prisoners in Israel marked the end of two-year war. “It’s very heartwarming to see the hostages on both sides, or the prisoners of both sides are released,” Omar Scott Antar, founder of the Connecticut Palestine Alliance, said Monday. Still, supporters of both Israel and the Palestinians said they have a lot...
It is good that the hostages are free, just as it was good that the fights stopped in Gaza on Friday, but that a whole new Middle East is emerging, as Trump says, is not certain.
TVA Nouvelles
24heures.caWhile the release of hostages in Gaza marks a turning point in hope for the Middle East, political analyst Guillaume Lavoie remains cautious.
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