Handover delayed by jostling crowd in Khan Younis, with Netanyahu suspending release of Palestinian prisoners. The handover on Thursday of seven hostages in Khan Younis, southern Gaza , was delayed by a chaotic crowd surging towards the group, despite an escort of heavily armed militants, jostling and blocking their passage to waiting Red Cross vehicles.
Agam Berger, 20, the last female soldier held in Gaza, had been released earlier from northern Gaza. Buses carrying Palestinian prisoners due to be freed were sent back to Israeli jails in the early afternoon, before a new release time of 5pm was announced. Later on Thursday, buses arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah carrying some of the prisoners.
It was not the first crisis in a ceasefire deal that is not yet two weeks old. Yehoud had originally been listed for release on Saturday. When four female soldiers were handed over instead, Israel accused Hamas of violating the deal and suspended plans to allow Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza. After last-minute negotiations, Hamas confirmed Yehoud would be freed on Thursday with two other hostages and Israel opened checkpoints to northern Gaza on Monday.
Many people, when they realised Witkoff was there, raced to pay personal tribute to him for brokering the ceasefire agreement. He met families of hostages briefly in a public library beside the square, assuring them he was optimistic the deal would hold, Israeli media reported, and said he was committed to bringing home the living held in Gaza and the dead.
The first stage of the ceasefire is due to last 42 days and covers the release of 33 Israeli hostages, mostly women and older men. Of the 23 still to be released as part of the first phase, Hamas says eight are dead. Under the agreement, Israel will free about 1, Palestinian prisoners and increase aid into Gaza. Witkoff was visiting Israel before negotiations on the second phase of the deal, due to start on Monday, and went from Hostage Square to hold talks with Netanyahu.
