This move came just hours after three Israeli hostages were freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza and returned to Israel.
Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees early Monday, marking a significant development in the Gaza ceasefire deal.
This move came just hours after three Israeli hostages were freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza and returned to Israel.
The long-awaited ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which took effect on Sunday, aims to bring a sense of calm to the region.
In a related development, Yemen's Houthi rebels have announced that they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships.
This decision was communicated via email to shippers and other stakeholders on Sunday. The Houthis are expected to release a military statement on Monday, likely providing more details about their decision.
The Houthis, through their Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, according to AP, made the announcement by saying it was “stopping sanctions” on the other vessels it has previously targeted since it started attacks in November 2023.
The Houthis have targeted about 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023.
One of the Israeli hostages freed on the first day of the Gaza ceasefire said Monday in her first comments since being released that she has “returned to life.”
Emily Damari, 28, was one of three hostages freed Sunday after spending 471 days in captivity. Officials at a hospital that received them said their condition was stable.
Damari, a dual Israeli-British citizen, returned from captivity with a bandage on one hand and authorities said she had lost two fingers during Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023.
As she arrived to a hospital on Sunday, she waved at a crowd that had gathered and footage later showed her joyfully reuniting with her family.
On the other hand, a Palestinian medical student who was among 90 prisoners freed by Israel says conditions of her detention were “terrible” and that she had limited access to food and water.
Still, 22-year-old Bara’a Al-Fuqha says she was relieved and overjoyed to be reunited with her family in the occupied West Bank early on Monday.