Updated: February 2, pm. Israel blamed Hamas's failure to include woman civilian Arbel Yehud among an earlier hostage release for delaying the return of displaced Palestinians. An aid convoy destined for Gaza assembles in the southern outskirts of the Egyptian capital Cairo. The United Nations says more than , displaced Palestinians have returned to north Gaza since the reopening of the Netzarim Corridor. Israeli woman soldier Agam Berger waves as Hamas militants escort her onto a stage for her handover to Red Cross representatives as part of the third hostage-prisoner exchange of the Gaza ceasefire.
Crowds surge near the family home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Khan Yunis ahead of the hostage handover. People watch as trucks loaded with humanitarian aid drive through a devastated street in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. In a photo released by the Israeli military, freed Israeli hostage Agam Berger is reunited with her parents after her release by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
Israelis in Tel Aviv celebrate the release of Agam Berger, 20, an Israeli woman soldier held for more than 15 months in Gaza. Wiwwaeo Sriaoun R , the mother of freed Thai hostage Watchara Sriaoun, cries after receiving confirmation he had been released. A freed ex-militant received a hero's welcome in the occupied West Bank on Thursday after chaos during a Gaza hostage release briefly delayed the third Israel-Hamas exchange under a ceasefire deal.
At around dusk, two buses carrying released inmates left from the West Bank's Ofer Prison after Israel said it had received assurances from mediators over the future "safe release" of captives. Hundreds of joyous Palestinians greeted them when they arrived in Ramallah, an AFP correspondent said.
Flashing a victory sign, the first to disembark was Zakaria Zubeidi, 49, a former top militant leader jailed for attacks that killed several Israelis. Israel's prison service confirmed it had freed inmates in the latest hostage-prisoner swap under the January 19 ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in Gaza. Earlier in the day, after more than 15 months of captivity, three Israelis were freed by militants in Gaza alongside five Thais who were also captured in Hamas's October 7, attack on Israel.
