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SvennoJ 1 day ago

Hamas releases list of 200 Palestinian prisoners to be freed today

Hamas has issued the list of 200 Palestinian prisoners set to be released by Israel shortly. The 200 prisoners being freed as part of the truce deal include long-serving inmates and others with lengthy sentences.

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that 121 of them are serving life sentences and 79 long sentences. The oldest prisoner to be released is 69 years old, and the youngest is 15 years old, our colleagues report.

Longest-serving Palestinian prisoner Mohammed al-Tous expected to be freed

Among the Palestinian prisoners set to be released by Israel later today is Mohammed al-Tous, who has spent the longest continuous period in Israeli detention, according to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society.

Known as the “dean” of prisoners in the occupied West Bank, the 69-year-old Fatah member has been in prison since 1985 after Israeli authorities charged him with carrying out “anti [Israel] operations”.

Al-Tous is expected to be among the 70 prisoners deported to Egypt and, from there, to countries such as Algeria, Tunisia and Turkiye.

Hamas says ‘heroic prisoners’ will be released by Israeli forces

In a statement, the Palestinian group says a “new batch of our heroic prisoners” serving long and life sentences will be freed today under the ceasefire deal. “This is our pledge to them for freedom, and to our people to continue walking together on the path of independence and self-determination,” Hamas said.

“Despite the unprecedented brutal aggression that targeted every inch of Gaza in its brutality, we preserved the enemy’s prisoners, in adherence to our ethics and customs, at a time when the criminal enemy tried to get rid of them and pursue them by targeting and bombing,” it added.

Hamas emphasised that today was one of the “immortal days” of the Palestinian people, confirming their “support for their resistance and their insistence on continuing on the path of pride and dignity” to achieve freedom and an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.


Three buses carrying Palestinian prisoners depart Ofer Prison

Three buses carrying released Palestinian prisoners have departed from Israel’s Ofer Prison, sources have told Al Jazeera. The buses are heading to the city of Beitunia, west of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.



Convoy of freed Palestinian prisoners approaches Ramallah

Buses carrying groups of recently freed Palestinian prisoners have reached the town of Beitunia, just west of Ramallah, according to our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic. The buses, escorted by armed men, are being met with crowds of cheering onlookers, footage shows.

They are carrying 114 of the 200 Palestinians Israel freed today.



Freed prisoners receive heroes’ welcome in Ramallah

Masses of people have congregated in Ramallah, celebrating the return of the released Palestinian prisoners. The large crowd includes people hoisting Palestinian flags, shouting slogans and documenting the scene with their phones, live footage shows.

They are surrounding a convoy of buses carrying the freed prisoners.

The prisoners, still wearing grey jumpsuits, can be seen smiling and waving to the crowd as they get off the bus. Some embrace people among the crowd and others are hoisted up on the shoulders of jubilant people.


The Red Cross convoy carrying Palestinian prisoners released in the second round of the prisoner swap between Hamas and Israel reach the town of Beitunya in Ramallah, West Bank on January 25



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SvennoJ 1 day ago

Dozens of Palestinian prisoners released but Israeli ‘occupation continues’

The release of Palestinian prisoners is a “huge relief” for families, but it is also under the “horrible realities of [the Israeli] occupation”, says Tamer Qarmout, an associate professor​ at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

“These prisoners should have been released through a bigger deal that ends the conflict, that brings peace through negotiations, through ending occupation, but the harsh reality in Palestine is that as we talk, occupation continues,” Qarmout told Al Jazeera.

“Israel is just intensifying its attacks on the West Bank, confiscating more land, surrounding villages and towns,” he added.

“In Jenin now, they have a major military operation, and they’re killing and arresting more people.”

Still, Hamas’s interest is to ensure the ceasefire holds and people are able to return to their homes, or to what’s left of them, Qarmout said.

“It’s kind of a cat and mouse, you know, equation, but … given the military pressure and given the fact that the resistance has been damaged to maybe an unrecognised way, I think Hamas has been doing good in terms of negotiations.”


‘Disappointed families’ as dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners face deportation

Some of the Palestinians being released are very high-profile prisoners. They are all either serving life or long-term sentences.

One prisoner, Mohammed al-Tous, has been in Israeli jail for almost four decades. He was arrested in 1985. He was a member of Fatah, which is now part of the Palestinian Authority. He was fighting the Israeli occupation at the time and there was a big shootout along the Jordanian border. He was one of the sole survivors. He is one of about 70 who will be deported. There will be some very disappointed families.

There’s one family in Am’ari camp [near Ramallah] with five members – all brothers – in Israeli prison. Three of them are being released today and the mother found out they will all be deported. Another one of her sons died of cancer in prison.

Another prisoner, Mohammad al-Ardah, was part of a jailbreak in 2021. He and a few others dug into a sewage system and managed to escape. This became huge news among Palestinians and then he was brought back to jail and given an extra five years. Now he’s being released.


Released Palestinian prisoners arrive in Gaza

Sixteen freed Palestinians have arrived in the Gaza Strip through the Karem Abu Salem crossing (Kerem Shalom to Israelis), our correspondent at Al Jazeera Arabic reports. The released Palestinian prisoners were transferred to the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.


Where are the 200 released Palestinian prisoners?

  • 114 have arrived in the occupied West Bank’s Ramallah city
  • 70 deportees have been received by Egypt
  • 16 have arrived in Gaza’s Khan Younis.


SvennoJ 1 day ago

Three people injured by Israeli fire on Salah al-Din Street

At least three Palestinians have been injured by Israeli bullets on Salah al-Din Street in the central Gaza Strip, our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting.

Salah al-Din Street, the main north-south thoroughfare that runs the length of the Gaza Strip, was a frequent site of mass killings of internally displaced Palestinians fleeing from north to south Gaza over the course of Israel’s war.


Israeli army opens fire on Palestinians waiting to cross Netzarim Corridor

Al Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum says the Israeli army has opened fire on Palestinians near the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, as they awaited permission to cross into northern Gaza.

“Everyone is shocked that the Israeli military opened fire on them,” Abu Azzoum said.

The correspondent reported seeing military ships come closer to shore and the sound of drones becoming louder as the attack unfolded. Al Jazeera aired footage showing displaced Palestinians ducking as they moved through the crowd carrying personal belongings including mattresses and blankets.

Abu Azzoum said no injuries have so far been reported.

Hamas accuses Israel of delaying ceasefire implementation

Hamas says Israel is delaying the implementation of the ceasefire deal after going back on the deal by not allowing Palestinians to return to their homes in the north of Gaza.

“We hold the occupation [Israel] responsible for any disruption in implementing the agreement and its repercussions on the rest of the stations. Earlier today, after barring Palestinians from returning to north Gaza claiming that Hamas broke truce terms by not releasing female civilian captive,” the group wrote.

After four female Israeli soldiers were released earlier today, Israel complained that Arbel Yehud, a female civilian captive, was not part of the handover.

According to the terms of the agreement, Israel said, civilians would be released first, followed by security personnel. Due to this, Israel said it would not be leaving the Netzarim Corridor, which runs in the middle of Gaza, no longer allowing Palestinians to return.

Hamas added that Israeli forces opened fire on a group of Palestinians near the corridor, as we reported earlier.


Israelis from illegal settlements attack West Bank’s Tuba: Report

Israelis from illegal settlements have raided the village of Tuba in the south of the occupied West Bank, torching a home and a vehicle belonging to residents, according to the Israeli activist group Beyond the Herd.

The Times of Israel newspaper said the attack came after the Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for four Israeli soldiers earlier today.

Translation: Initial report: At this moment, settlers invaded the village of Tuba and set fire to a house and a vehicle



SvennoJ 1 day ago

Electronic Intifada director arrested in Switzerland ahead of speaking event

The director of the Electronic Intifada has been arrested by Swiss authorities ahead of a speaking event in Zurich, the Palestine-focused online news outlet said.

Ali Abunimah arrived in Switzerland on Friday and was questioned by airport police for an hour before being allowed to enter the country.

He was then arrested on Saturday afternoon. The news outlet wrote on its website that the arrest was “part of a growing backlash from Western governments against expressions of solidarity with the Palestinian people”.

In May, Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu-Sitta, who spent 43 days in Gaza helping treat those wounded in Israel’s war, was denied entry to France where he was scheduled to make a speech at the Senate.

Jeez how far gone is Europe.

Arrest of Ali Abunimah is attack on free expression, says founder of Hind Rajab Foundation

Dyab Abou Jahjah has called the arrest of the director of the Electronic Intifada by Swiss authorities ahead of a speaking event in Zurich “an attack on free expression and the solidarity movement”.

In a post on X, he said that Ali Abunimah was a “political prisoner” and “must be released immediately”.

The Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) was formed five months ago and has pulled together lawyers and activists from around the world to prepare cases against Israeli soldiers based on social media content shared by the soldiers themselves.

https://twitter.com/Aboujahjah/status/1883268002399109227


White House releases hold on supply of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel: Report

Axios, citing three Israeli officials, reports that the White House has instructed the US military to release a hold imposed by Joe Biden’s administration on the supply of 2,000-pound (900kg) bombs to Israel.

Biden has put a hold on the delivery of the 2,000-pound bombs due to concerns about their use by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip.



SvennoJ 1 day ago

Palestinians trying to cross to northern areas of Gaza continue to wait

A large number of Palestinian families wait on al-Rashid Street on their way to the north following the announcement that displaced Palestinians in the southern and central governorates of Gaza City will be able to move to the northern areas as of Sunday morning, January 26, 2025, near Netzarim Corridor in Gaza City.



One killed as Israel opens fire in central Gaza

One person has been confirmed killed in al-Rasheed Street as Israeli forces opened fire against Palestinians waiting to cross into northern Gaza. Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting that at least other three people were injured.


Israeli shooting at Netzarim Corridor beyond comprehension

We were reporting from al-Rashid Street in central Gaza, as Palestinians were gathering in preparation for their return to northern Gaza, when the Israeli army opened fire.

What we saw is beyond comprehension and it is again another breach of the ceasefire. People were setting up their makeshift tents as they waited to receive permission to cross the Netzarim Corridor and head back to their homes.

They were expecting to be able do that today following the release of the second group of Israeli captives. Right now, the loud humming of drones is back, I can hear them overhead for the second time since this morning.

Video shows moment Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians in central Gaza

Palestinian journalists and activists have been posting videos of the moment the Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting to cross into northern Gaza, along the Netzarim Corridor. As we reported earlier, at least one person was killed and several injured.

One video posted on social media by journalist Nahed Hajjaj and verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad unit shows Palestinians running for cover as they clutch their few belongings.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFQNDbrtJfb



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SvennoJ 1 day ago

Israeli military claims it fired ‘warning shots’ in Gaza

The Israeli military released a statement saying that it was firing warning shots rather than targeting any of the civilians who were trying to return to northern Gaza. However, as we saw and heard from our teams on the ground, that was simply not the case.

Nonetheless, Israel accuses Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement.

First, saying that civilians should have been released before any military personnel. Then, there is a little bit of a hold-up for the Israelis. They say that until the captive Arbel Yehud, who they say is a civilian, is released, Israeli troops will not withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor.

As it stands now, the ceasefire deal is still in place, and the next exchange is set to take place a week from today, on Saturday.

However, there’s a lot of pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu from family members of Israeli captives, both former and the ones who are still being held in Gaza, asking Netanyahu to go through all three phases of this deal.

The Israeli public was protesting tonight on the streets in Tel Aviv with that same sentiment, saying that Netanyahu has to ensure that the deal was met, that the war is over and that all of the captives are released.


Aid trucks continue to enter the Gaza Strip


Humanitarian aid trucks continue to pass through the Karem Abu Salem crossing, known as Kerem Shalom to Israelis, following the ceasefire in Rafah, Gaza, on January 25


Palestinian prisoners arrive in Egypt in bittersweet release

Egypt’s state-affiliated Al-Qahera News channel has reported that two buses carrying 70 freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in Egypt under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The family of released prisoner Munif Abu Atwan, from the city of Dura, south of Hebron, followed his arrival at the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing from afar.

They told Al Jazeera Arabic that they were filled with joy and happiness but were also deeply saddened not to be able to meet Atwan, who had been in jail for 23 years and was serving a life sentence.



SvennoJ 1 day ago

Israeli army storms home of released Palestinian prisoner, shoots two

The Israeli army has stormed the home of former Palestinian prisoner Ashraf al-Zagheer in the town of Kafr Aqab, north of occupied East Jerusalem, hours after his release from Ofer Prison.

The Israeli military forbade all celebrations after the flag of Hamas was raised during a gathering for his return.

Local sources told Wafa news agency that the army opened fire during the raid, resulting in the wounding of two people.

Separately, the Israeli army stormed the town of Qarawat Bani Zeid, northwest of Ramallah, during a celebration for the return of freed prisoner Saeed Nasser Arar.


Israeli forces storm the home of freed Palestinian prisoner near Bethlehem

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic, citing local sources, are reporting that Israeli forces have stormed the home of former Palestinian prisoner Ayman Muhammad Ali in a village south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.

Earlier, we reported that Israeli forces had stormed the home of freed Palestinian prisoner Ashraf al-Zagheer al-Zagheer in the town of Kafr Aqab, north of occupied east Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club now reports that Israeli forces arrested Amir al-Zagheer, the brother of Ashraf, during the raid.


Israeli settlers in West Bank set up billboards saying ‘no future in Palestine’

Settlers in the northern West Bank have set up billboards welcoming the release of 16 Israelis after Defence Minister Israel Katz terminated administrative detentions for all settlers over the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Pictures of four of them are plastered on the billboards, The Times of Israel has reported. On the other side, a message in Arabic read, “There is no future in Palestine,” alongside a picture of displaced Palestinians fleeing their homes in Gaza.

The message was also posted on social media by settlers, urging all Palestinians to emigrate, the Israeli newspaper reported.


Israeli military raids continue across West Bank

Israeli military raids have been reported across the occupied West Bank over recent hours in cities and towns where Palestinian prisoners were released, including:

  • Hebron
  • The town of al-Ram, north of Jerusalem
  • The town of al-Eizariya, east of Jerusalem
  • Balata Camp, east of Nablus


SvennoJ 1 day ago

Palestinian child shot in the head during Israeli raid near Jenin: Report

The Palestinian news agency Wafa, citing the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), reports that a two-year-old girl has been shot in the head during an Israeli raid on a village south of the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

The PRCS is reported to have added that its crews had transferred the injured child to a hospital for treatment.


Palestinian child dies after being shot in the head during Israeli raid

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has now announced that she has died after being taken to a hospital.


One killed in Israeli raid on Balata refugee camp

A Palestinian man has been shot and killed by Israeli forces during a military raid on the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. The Wafa news agency identified the victim as Ahmad al-Hashash and reported that he was taken to a hospital in serious condition and later died of his wounds.


Teen suffers head injury during Israeli military raid on Hebron

A 17-year-old Palestinian has sustained an injury to the head by a rubber-coated bullet fired by Israeli forces during a military raid on Hebron, in the occupied West Bank.

Local sources told the Wafa news agency the boy was injured as the Israeli army stormed the house of former detainee Akram Badawi, who was released earlier as part of the ceasefire agreement.


Israeli military investigating killing of toddler near Jenin

The Israeli military has issued a statement saying it was investigating the killing of a two-year-old child during a raid in the area of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank.

The army said its troops opened fire on a building after receiving intelligence on the presence of Palestinian fighters. The Times of Israel reported that the soldiers used a tactic known as “pressure cooker,” which consists of escalating the volume of fire against a building to flush suspects out.

The Israeli newspaper said Palestinian medics evacuated the wounded two-year-old, who later died, along with her pregnant mother who was lightly injured.

The same tactic gangsters use.



SvennoJ 1 day ago

Main events from January 25th

  • Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, but a dispute over the release of another captive – 29-year-old Arbel Yehud – prompted Israel to stop Palestinians in Gaza from returning to the north of the enclave.
  • Hamas accused Israel of delaying the implementation of the Gaza truce deal and Israeli forces shot at Palestinians trying to return to the north, killing at least one person and wounding two others.
  • The 200 Palestinian men freed on Saturday include 70 who were serving life sentences. The men, who are to be deported, have now arrived in Egypt and will be sent to countries such as Tunisia, Algeria and Turkiye.
  • The White House welcomed the exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, saying the United States “will continue with its great partner Israel, to push for the release of all remaining hostages and the pursuit of peace throughout the region”.
  • In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces continued a large-scale operation launched two days after the truce in Gaza, killing at least two Palestinians, including a two-year-old girl who was shot in the head in the city of Jenin.
  • Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon beyond the 60-day deadline stipulated in the ceasefire deal with Hezbollah, saying the Lebanese army was not upholding its side of the agreement.



US calls for continued implementation of Gaza truce deal

Here is what the office of the State Department spokesperson said:

“The United States celebrates the release of the four Israeli hostages held in captivity for 477 days. “It is critical that the ceasefire implementation continues and that all of the hostages are freed from Hamas captivity and safely returned to their families.

“We continue to mourn the innocent lives lost at the hands of Hamas terrorism since October 7, 2023.”



‘Why are hundreds of Palestinians not important?’

Sami Abu Shahadeh, a former member of the Israeli Knesset, told Al Jazeera that the US’s statement on the release of Israeli captives was incomplete as it does not mention the Palestinian prisoners who were also freed on Saturday.

“There was a ceasefire and the deal of releasing prisoners from both sides – not only four Israeli prisoners were released,” Abu Shahadeh said.

“Why did they celebrate only the four Israelis? What about the hundreds of Palestinians? Why are the hundreds of Palestinians not important?”

Abu Shahadeh, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, added that the exchange on Saturday appeared to show Israeli captives had experienced better conditions than Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

“The whole world has seen on all the cameras that the basic human conditions of the Palestinian prisoners inside the enlightened Israeli prisons were much worse than those who were hostages in Hamas tunnels,” he said.


Palestinians gather to welcome Palestinian prisoners released as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, on Saturday

 

BBC abruptly ends interview after reporter disagrees on Israeli hostages’ health | Janta Ka Reporter



UK’s publicly-funded broadcaster, the BBC, on Saturday abruptly ends news its interview with correspondent Sebastian Usher immediately after he disagreed with his presenter and highlighted how Israeli soldiers being released by Hamas looked in good health.

Last edited by SvennoJ - 1 day ago

SvennoJ 1 day ago

What we know about two-year-old girl killed in Jenin

As we’ve been reporting, Israeli forces have shot and killed a Palestinian toddler during a raid near the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

  • The Palestinian Ministry of Health says that her name was Laila Muhammad Ayman Al-Khatib and she was two and a half years old.
  • According to the ministry, Laila died from critical wounds after she was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers in the Martyrs’ Triangle area in Jenin.
  • Earlier, Wafa reported she had been taken to hospital by a Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulance.
  • The Times of Israel reported that Laila’s pregnant mother was also lightly wounded in the attack.
  • The Israeli military says it is investigating the incident and that its troops opened fire on a building after receiving intelligence on the presence of Palestinian fighters.
  • At least 14 Palestinians have been killed in Jenin in the occupied West Bank since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in Gaza, as Palestinian civilians continue to be caught up in violent conflict between the Israeli army, the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian fighters from the al-Quds Brigades.




Israel’s West Bank raids show violence against Palestinians ‘is far from over’

Action for Humanity, a British human rights group, has condemned Israel’s continuing military operation in and near the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank.

The offensive, dubbed Iron Wall and launched just two days after the ceasefire in Gaza took effect, “signals that the violence is far from over”, the group said.

It has “brought devastating levels of destruction and loss of life” in just a few days, with at least 12 Palestinians killed and dozens more wounded. At least 58,000 Palestinians “now face the imminent threat of forcible transfer”.

Action for Humanity called on the United Kingdom and the international community to suspend arms sales to Israel and ramp up pressure to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.

“Without addressing the structural injustices of occupation, the region will continue to face cyclical violence, suffering, and instability,” it said. “The recent shift of violence to the West Bank serves as a stark reminder that ceasefires alone are insufficient without accountability and justice.”

The issue of prisoners is key to the Palestinian struggle, analyst says

Xavier Abu Eid, the former communications director for the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told Al Jazeera that Israel’s imprisonment of Palestinians is “not a marginal issue” but “one of the key issues for the Palestinian struggle”.

He noted that under the Israeli occupation, Israeli forces “can go into any Palestinian home, can take any Palestinian without providing any charges, and keep that person for years”.

This means that there has been one million prisoners since 1967, as well as “a 98 percent of the conviction rate in Israel courts,” Abu Eid said.

He also lamented the deportation of the 70 Palestinians who were freed on Saturday.

“At the heart of the Palestinian struggle is a struggle for the right to return, so for people to be kicked out of Palestine, it’s not an easy decision,” he said.


Palestinians welcome the freed prisoner Mohammed Al-Arida, who was released as part of the ceasefire deal, in Araba, near Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on Saturday


Trump says Jordan, Egypt should take more Palestinians from Gaza

Trump made the comments while briefing reporters on board Air Force One.

The US president said he told Jordan’s King Abdullah, “I’d love you to take on more because I’m looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and it’s a mess, it’s a real mess. I’d like him to take people.”

Trump said he would also speak to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday.

“I’d like Egypt to take people,” he added.