Palestinian detainees freed after Israel delays release

The New Arab's liveblog on the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and Gaza, and other regional developments has now ended, and will resume at 0900am GMT. 

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An Israeli drone has bombed a besieged house in al-Yamoun town, west of Jenin in the West Bank, in its latest assault on the city, according to The Quds News Network and the Palestinian Information Center.

Israeli Drone Drops Firebombs on the Besieged House in Yamon Town, West of Jenin. pic.twitter.com/bsa5eZiNP6

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) January 31, 2025

The US military said it killed a senior operative of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group in an airstrike in northwest Syria on Thursday.

The airstrike, part of an ongoing effort to disrupt and degrade militant groups in the region, resulted in the death of Muhammad Salah al-Za'bir of the Hurras al-Din group, the US Central Command said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that Egypt and Jordan would take in displaced Gazans, despite the two Arab nations dismissing his plan to move Palestinians from the territory.

Trump's comments came a day after Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II rejecting any forced displacement of Gazans following the war between Hamas and Israel.

"They will do it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked for his response to the Egyptian and Jordanian refusal, and whether he would consider imposing tariffs on either country to push them.

"They're going to do it. We do a lot for them, and they're going to do it."

The Political Bureau of the Houthi rebel group issued a statement on Thursday after Hamas confirmed the killing of its military commander Mohammed Deif.

"We mourn the great martyr of the nation," the group said. "The blood of the martyr leaders is the torch of the resistance, its fuel, and an ongoing flood that will not stop until the end of the Zionist entity [Israel]."

"We affirm our steadfast supportive stance for the resistance, Hamas, and the rest of the factions until victory, regardless of the circumstances and challenges," the group added

The Palestinian health ministry said that Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, after the military announced a soldier had also been killed in the territory.

The Ramallah-based ministry said in a statement that "two citizens, whose identities are not yet known, were killed by the occupation forces' bullets in Jenin camp this evening".

Their identity has yet to be identified.

Earlier, an Israeli soldier was killed and five others were wounded during an exchange of fire with Palestinian fighters in Jenin, according to Israeli media.

The Times of Israel identified the slain soldier as 20-year-old Liam Hazi, of the Kfir Brigade’s Haruv reconnaissance unit. 

The Red Cross on Thursday called for "improvements" in the security of the handovers to Israel of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza after chaotic scenes earlier in the day.

Palestinian militants from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad had struggled to contain a crowd of hundreds while handing three Israeli and five Thai hostages to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.

As with the previous hostage exchanges the International Community of the Red Cross facilitated Thursday's transfers.

"Today's conditions underscore the importance of all parties upholding their agreements and ensuring operations take place in a safe and dignified manner," said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.

"The security of these operations must be assured, and we urge for improvements in the future."

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa will work on forming an inclusive transitional government, he said on Thursday in his first speech after being declared president.

"A preparatory committee for the national dialogue conference will be announced in the coming days," Sharaa added. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday demanded that 2,500 children be immediately evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment with the guarantee that they will be able to return to their families and communities, he said in a social media post. 

There is "almost nothing left" of Gaza and rebuilding the enclave could take 10 to 15 years, US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios in an interview at the end of his trip to the region on Thursday.

"People are moving north to get back to their homes and see what happened and turn around and leave ... there is no water and no electricity. It is stunning just how much damage occurred there," Witkoff told Axios.

Israel’s Prison Service has officially confirmed the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Two buses carrying the released prisoners arrived in Ramallah, West Bank, this afternoon, where they were greeted by large crowds of supporters.

Local journalists are capturing the heartfelt moments of Palestinian prisoners reuniting with their families.

In a video shared online, Nidal al-Barai, a former prisoner, shares an emotional embrace with his relatives in the Gaza Strip following his release from Ofer Prison.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Adli Abu Taha | ﮼عدلي﮼أبوطه  (@adliabutaha1)

Hamas has confirmed the killing of its deputy military commander, Marwan Issa, following the earlier confirmation of military commander Mohammed Deif’s death.

Hamas spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, Abu Obaida, stated that Issa, along with several other commanders, was killed.

Israel had claimed responsibility for Issa’s death in March, but at the time, senior Hamas officials told news publication Al Jazeera that they had not received any evidence confirming his demise.

In addition to Issa, Abu Obaida also confirmed the deaths of several other senior Hamas commanders, including Ghazi Abu Tamaa, commander of weapons and combat services, Raed Thabet, commander of manpower and head of supplies unit, and Rafei Salama, commander of the Khan Younis Brigade.

Hamas has confirmed the killing of Mohammed Deif, its top military commander, in a statement.

Israel had previously claimed that it killed Deif in an airstrike in July, but Hamas had not confirmed his death until now.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Information Office has celebrated the third release of Palestinian prisoners since the Gaza ceasefire, calling it the “result and fruit of sacrifices made on the path to freedom.”

"This deal represents a new achievement added to the record of resistance and Palestinian steadfastness," said a statement from Ahmed al-Qudra, the head of the media office.

"The release of this group of prisoners is a clear indication of the change in the power equation in the conflict and proof that the occupation cannot break the will of the resistance," the statement added.

The European Commission has announced that the EU will hold separate talks with Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the coming weeks.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar is set to meet his EU counterparts and the bloc’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, on 24 February during the EU's monthly Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.

Discussions will cover a broad range of topics, including the war in Gaza, regional and global issues, and EU-Israel relations, said spokesman Anouar El Anouni.

On 17 March, Kallas and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa will co-chair the first-ever EU-Palestinian high-level dialogue.

This meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss EU support for Palestinians and various regional and bilateral issues, according to El Anouni.

Released Palestinian prisoners have started arriving in the Gaza Strip.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, the son of a released prisoner heading to Khan Younis expressed deep gratitude.

“We thank God for this great day. Our father was part of the deal. This is a huge achievement, and we thank the resistance. I’m overwhelmed," he said.

"I was two years old when my father was imprisoned, and now I’m over 32. My son, Nidal, is six. I’m so grateful to witness these moments and see my father again. I hope all prisoners are released,” he said.

The release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel seems to have started, as Red Cross buses were observed leaving Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.

We will provide more updates on this development shortly.

The health ministry in Gaza said Thursday that the death toll from the war with Israel had reached 47,460.

Despite a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel that began on January 19, the death toll published by Gaza's ministry of health continues to rise every day as bodies discovered under the rubble are identified or people succumb to earlier wounds.

In the last 24 hours, 43 additional deaths have been recorded, according to the ministry, which reported 111,580 wounded from the war.

A study published in early January in the British medical journal The Lancet estimated that the death toll in the Gaza Strip due to hostilities during the first nine months of the conflict was about 40 percent higher than the figures recorded by the Gaza ministry of health.

The New Arab is unable to independently verify the conflict's death toll.

Turkey's spy agency helped secure the release of five Thai prisoners by Hamas on Thursday as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel, state media reported.

Turkey's National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) negotiated with Hamas after instructions from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and secured the release of five Thai captives in Gaza on Thursday, the Anadolu news agency reported.

In mid-January, Erdogan said his country hoped for a "lasting peace" in Gaza after the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.

The Turkish leader met with Hamas leader Muhammad Ismail Darwish in Ankara on Wednesday, his office said.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and MIT chief Ibrahim Kalin also attended that meeting.

The Thai foreign ministry said the five released Thursday would be taken to hospital for medical treatment.

"Thailand calls for the release of all the remaining hostages including a Thai national soonest, so they can safely return to their homeland and to their beloved families," the ministry added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says mediators have provided assurances for the safe release of captives, clearing the way for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Information Office has stated that the release of Palestinian prisoners—initially scheduled for today but later suspended by the Israeli government—will now take place at 5 PM local time (15:00 GMT).

The office said this decision followed discussions with mediators.

The New Arab will provide further updates soon.

The Norwegian government said Thursday that it would contribute $24 million to the UN agency that helps looks after Palestinian refugees, the same day that Israel banned the group from operating on Israeli territory.

"Gaza is in ruins, and UNRWA's help is more necessary than ever," Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement.

"It is extremely dramatic for Palestine that Israeli laws come into force that in practice can prevent UNRWA from working."

Starting Thursday, UNRWA is banned from operating on Israeli soil and contact between it and Israeli officials is forbidden. Israel's supreme court rejected late Wednesday a challenge to the ban.

UNRWA has provided support for Palestinian refugees around the Middle East for over 70 years, and it says it has brought in 60 percent of the food aid that has reached Gaza since the start of Israel's war with Hamas in 2023.

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said she was "elated" Thursday at the release of five Thai hostages held in Gaza for over a year.

The Thais were abducted when Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023 and were released as part of a hostage-prisoner exchange under the Gaza ceasefire.

Israel has ordered buses carrying the 110 Palestinian prisoners set for release to make a U-turn to prisons. 

An official involved in the operation told Reuters that the decision to suspend the release under the ceasefire agreement with Hamas was made "in protest" of the scenes outside Yahya Sinwar's home, where crowds received Israeli and Thai captives in Gaza. 

The Israeli government has ordered prison authorities to suspend the release of Palestinian prisoners today "until further notice", Israel’s Kann broadcaster reports. 

According to Israel’s Army Radio, the buses with detainees are heading back to Israel’s Ofer Prison.

A group of 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 minors, were set to be released, in exchange for three Israeli and five Thai captives who have already crossed into Israel. 

Israeli forces have confirmed that the newly released captives by Hamas have crossed into Israel. 

These include Israeli citizens Arbel Yehud, Gadi Moshe Mozes and Thai captives Thaenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakhan, Sriaoun Watchara, Saethao Bannawat and Rumnao Surasak.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of '"unimaginable cruelty" during the hostage releases. 

In a post on X, the Israeli PM, who is facing arrest warrants over war crimes and crimes against humanity, criticised the way seven captives were released in Khan Younis.

"I view with great severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages," he said. "This is yet another proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organisation."

He added: "I demand that the mediators ensure that such horrific scenes are not repeated and guarantee the safety of our hostages."

US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff has arrived at the so-called Hostage Square in Tel Aviv amid the release of Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip.

In a Israeli Army Radio video, hundreds of people gathered at the square to celebrate the release of the Israeli captives.

Palestinian media outlets have shared a clear video showing Israeli captive Arbel Yehud being escorted to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

مباشرة لحظة تسليم المحتجزة الإسرائيلية أربيل يهودا إلى الصليب الأحمر في #خانيونس pic.twitter.com/3Wpc4c5j36

— #القدس_ينتفض 🇵🇸 (@MyPalestine0) January 30, 2025

Two more Israeli captives along with five foreigners held in Gaza were handed over to the Red Cross on Thursday, the Israeli military said.

"According to information communicated by the Red Cross, seven hostages, including two Israelis and five foreign nationals, were transferred to them and are on their way toward [Israeli army] and ISA (security agency) forces in the Gaza Strip," the military said.

The two Israeli captives to be freed were Gadi Moses and Arbel Yehud. Five Thais were also to be released.

At least one captive, identified as Arbel Yehoud, has been handed over to the Red Cross.

Al Jazeera Arabic, reporting from the site of the ongoing captive release in Khan Younis, says Palestinian fighters are preparing to escort another captive, a Thai worker who was with Arbel Yehoud.

The Thai captive is expected to be released from a vehicle of the Qassam Brigades, with protection from both the Qassam and al-Quds Brigades.

Stay tuned for further updates.

The Israeli military said it intercepted a surveillance drone launched by Lebanese group Hezbollah on Thursday amid a fragile ceasefire.

"A short while ago, a Hezbollah surveillance UAV that was launched toward Israeli territory was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force," the military said in a statement.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was visiting Qatar on Thursday to meet leaders of Tehran-backed Palestinian group Hamas, a ministry statement said.

It said he would meet senior Hamas officials "to hail the victory of the Palestinian people through 16 months of legendary resistance" in the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Gaza had brought Israel "to its knees" in the conflict.

"The small, limited Gaza brought the Zionist regime, armed to the teeth and fully supported by America, to its knees," he said during a meeting in Tehran.

On January 22 in Davos, Switzerland, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif acknowledged that Hamas's attack on Israel had "destroyed" an opportunity for talks to revive a landmark nuclear accord.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office (ASRA) has provided details on the Palestinian detainees scheduled for release today under the ceasefire agreement.

According to the office:

• 32 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment will be freed.
• 48 prisoners serving various sentences will be released.
• 30 children and female prisoners are included in the exchange.
• 20 prisoners will be released and deported outside Palestinian territories.

In terms of political affiliation:

• 43 prisoners belong to Fatah.
• 24 prisoners are affiliated with Hamas.
• 19 prisoners are from Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
• 4 prisoners are members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
• 2 prisoners belong to the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Several Red Cross-marked vehicles have arrived at the site in Khan Younis where captives are expected to be released, near the home of Yahya Sinwar.

Armed fighters from Hamas and Islamic Jihad are clearing a path for the convoy, while a Red Cross representative is seen speaking with one of the fighters.

A large crowd of onlookers is cheering as they await the captive exchange.

The Israeli military has confirmed that released captive Agam Berger has crossed into Israeli territory.

She is being taken to an "initial reception point" near the border, where she will reunite with her family, the military said.

Khammee Lamnao, the mother of Thai hostage Surasak Lamnau, said the Thai embassy in Israel had called her Wednesday to let her know her son was one of the five who were to be released.

"I cannot wait to see my son," the 53-year-old was quoted by news agency AP. "I’ve been waiting for him."

Surasak had been working in the agricultural sector in Israel for 15 months when he was taken hostage during the October 2023 attack.

Thirty-one Thai nationals are believed to have been taken hostage when Hamas attacked Israel in October, 2023.

Of those, 23 have been released, and two of the remaining hostages have been confirmed dead.

Five surviving hostages are due to be released, and it is not clear at the moment what the status of the sixth person is.

There were about 30,000 Thai workers — mostly laborers in the agricultural sector — in Israel prior to the October 7 attack by Hamas, when operatives stormed through a border fence and killed hundreds of Israelis and foreign nationals, including 41 Thai workers.

At least 7,000 Thai workers are known to have returned home on government evacuation flights, but many others decided to stay for the opportunity to earn wages far higher than at home.

In a post on X, the Israeli military confirmed that its forces have taken custody of released captive Agam Berger.

She is being escorted into Israel by the military and Shin Bet, the statement said.

The military added that it is preparing to receive more captives soon.

Israeli forces have arrested a Palestinian woman in the village of Rojib, east of Nablus, according to security sources cited by the Wafa news agency.

At dawn, the forces also demolished commercial warehouses in Asira ash-Shamaliya, north of Nablus, the report added.

Meanwhile, in the Hebron governorate, Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian man in the town of Beit Ummar and two others in the city of Hebron.

The al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, has released a video on Telegram showing Israeli captives Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moshe Mozes smiling and embracing.

While The New Arab has yet independently verified the footage, other news reports have confirmed their identities and suggest the video was filmed during the final steps of their handover operation, expected to take place today.

Palestinian group Hamas handed over Israeli woman soldier Agam Berger to the Red Cross in northern Gaza's Jabalia area on Thursday as part of a ceasefire with Israel, news agency AFP reported.

Berger, dressed in military fatigues, was paraded on a stage by Hamas operatives before she was handed over to officials from the Interational Committee of the Red Cross.