The Palestinian resistance group Hamas handed over three Israeli captives to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Sunday as part of the initial phase of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement. Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, conducted the handover at Saraya Square in central Gaza City, according to an Anadolu reporter. The Israeli military confirmed that it was informed by the ICRC about the transfer of the captives — Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher. The three women are now under the custody of Israeli forces in Gaza. According to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the freed captives are in good health. The handover process saw a large gathering of Qassam members and vehicles in central Gaza City, Anadolu reported. The Gaza ceasefire agreement, which had been delayed due to Israeli accusations of Hamas withholding a list of captives slated for release, came into effect at 11:15 a.m. local time (0915 GMT) on Sunday. The agreement was originally scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. The ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, has resulted in over 47,000 deaths, primarily women and children, with more than 110,700 injured, according to local health authorities. Over 11,000 people remain missing amid widespread destruction, marking one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. — Agencies
