 "Hamas to free 4 women hostages on Saturday after Israel says displaced Gazans may go home next week")
Hamas on Tuesday said that it will release 4 women hostages on January 25 (Saturday) in return for Palestinian prisoners that will be freed by Israel on the same day. This is the second round of such exchange under the Gaza ceasefire.
The Palestinian terrorist group’s official Taher al-Nunu made the announcement to AFP saying that Hamas would release “four Israeli female detainees in exchange” for a second group of Palestinian prisoners. He, however, did not name the hostages to be released over the weekend.
According to Times of Israel, seven female hostages remain from the original list of 33 set to be released in the first phase of the hostage ceasefire agreement: Arbel Yehud (29), Shiri Silberman Bibas (33), Liri Albag (19), Karina Ariev (20), Agam Berger (21), Danielle Gilboa (20), and Naama Levy (20).
Displaced Gazans to return home
Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced that Palestinians who had fled to southern Gaza at the peak of the war will now be able to return to the northern part of the region, provided Hamas upholds the truce deal.
Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman said, “If Hamas adheres to all details of the agreement, starting next week, residents of the Gaza Strip will be able to return to the northern Gaza Strip and instructions will be issued in this regard.”
As part of the agreement, on the seventh day of the ceasefire, unarmed Gazans will be permitted to return to northern Gaza on foot via the coastal road without inspection. Vehicles heading back to northern Gaza, however, will need to undergo inspection by a private company designated by the mediators and Israel.
On the 22nd day, displaced and unarmed Palestinians will be allowed to return to their homes in the north on foot via Salah a-Din road, meaning that Israel will gradually withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIsrael launches op in Jenin
The Israeli military said Tuesday it had launched a “counterterrorism” operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, which the Palestinian Ministry of Health said had killed one person.
In a joint statement, the army and Israeli Security Agency said that, along with the Israeli Border Police, they had launched an operation in the city, a stronghold of Palestinian militant groups.
With inputs from agencies
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