Israel to release 737 Palestinians, Hamas to release 33 Israelis under 1st phase of ceasefire deal

Israel will release 737 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, as part of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage return deal.

According to France 24, Israel's government ratified the deal on Jan. 18, 2025.

Israel's Ministry of Justice has also named some of the Palestinian prisoners who are set to be released.

This includes a chief of the armed wing of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party, Zakaria Zubeidi.

Zakaria had escaped an Israeli prison with five other Palestinians in 2021 and was caught again after a manhunt that went on for days.

Another prisoner set to be released is Khalida Jarar, a Palestinian lawmaker who is a prominent member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the U.S. and the European Union.

He is 60 years old and has been held since December 2024 without a charge.

33 Israeli hostages to be freed by Hamas

The same day also saw Hamas state that the mechanism of the release of the Israeli hostages it holds in Gaza will depend on the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel will free.

The Guardian reported that 33 of the remaining 98 Israeli hostages will be freed by Hamas, including women, children, men over 50, as well as ill and wounded captives as part of this deal.

The ceasefire is set to begin at 8:30am on Jan. 19 in Gaza (2:30pm Singapore time), according to a spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry.

As coordinated by the parties to the agreement and the mediators, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, January 19, local time in Gaza. We advise the inhabitants to take precaution, exercise the utmost caution, and wait for directions from official…

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) January 18, 2025

119 Palestinians killed by Israeli attacks since announcement of ceasefire deal

France 24 further reported that 119 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli bombardment since the announcement of the ceasefire deal on Jan. 15, 2025.

Explosions were also heard in Jerusalem following the sound of sirens.

Israel's military said it had intercepted a projectile from Yemen.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran and are based in Yemen, have launched multiple drone and missile attacks on Israel since October 2023.

On Jan. 17, 2025, the Houthis said they would continue their attacks on Israel if it did not adhere to the terms of the ceasefire with Hamas.

Top image via Associated Press