Hamas frees 5 Israelis, 602 Palestinians to be released under agreement

In a significant development today, Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas has released five more Israeli hostages. 

Earlier in the day, two Israelis had already been set free, all of whom have been handed over to the Israeli military. 

As part of the ongoing agreement, Israel is expected to release 602 Palestinian prisoners on the same day.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office (Asra), these releases are part of a larger deal. 

The 602 Palestinians being freed include 50 individuals who have been sentenced to life imprisonment. 

So far, Israel has already released over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners under this deal.

BBC reported that Hamas’s announcement of releasing six more Israelis came at a time of rising tensions. 

Just recently, an explosion occurred in the West Bank, prompting warnings from Israeli authorities about further operations in the region.

Meanwhile, the arrest operations by Israeli forces in the West Bank have continued. 

The Israeli military revealed that around 90 Palestinians had been detained in the West Bank just last week. In addition, more than 15 firearms were seized during this period.

While the ceasefire agreement in Gaza holds, Israeli forces are actively conducting raids in the West Bank, particularly in the northern areas under Israeli occupation. 

Al Jazeera reported that these operations have led to the deaths of over a dozen Palestinians, mostly in refugee camps targeted during Israeli military operations.

This ongoing exchange and military actions have put a spotlight on the fragile peace process, as both sides continue to navigate the complexities of these negotiations.