Israel-Hamas hostage swap: As it happened

More than 630 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza on Sunday, marking the first day of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, has confirmed.

“There is no time to lose,” Fletcher said in a statement. “After 15 months of relentless war, the humanitarian needs are staggering. We recognize the logistical challenges facing those delivering this aid, including mountains of rubble and unexploded remnants of war. The safety of all civilians, including aid workers, remains our top priority.”

While the ceasefire has enabled a significant increase in aid deliveries, including over 300 trucks sent to northern Gaza, where needs are most critical, Fletcher warned that the effort is just a beginning, given the catastrophic conditions in the Palestinian enclave.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has expressed hope and cautious optimism following the Gaza ceasefire and the beginning of the hostage and prisoner release process. In a statement shared on X, Tedros emphasized the significance of the ceasefire for millions affected by the conflict but warned of the immense challenges ahead in addressing Gaza’s health crisis.

“Addressing the massive health needs and restoring the health system in Gaza will be a complex and challenging task, given the scale of destruction, operational complexity, and constraints involved,” Tedros wrote on X. The WHO chief has urged all parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement and work towards achieving lasting peace.

Thousands of Palestinians gathered in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to celebrate the release of 90 prisoners as part of a prisoner exchange deal. Residents cheered and waved Palestinian and Hamas flags as buses, organized by the Red Cross, arrived in Beitunia, west of the city, carrying the freed detainees.

Scenes of jubilation unfolded as people surrounded the buses, with some climbing atop the vehicles, waving green Hamas-aligned flags. The release was met with widespread celebrations, with crowds chanting and rejoicing late into the night.

The Israel Prison Service has announced that 90 Palestinian captives have finally been released hours after Hamas freed three Israeli hostages. Earlier, an Israeli official blamed the Red Cross for delays in the transfer, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Several buses, presumed to be carrying Palestinian prisoners, have left Israel’s Ofer prison, according to Al Jazeera Arabic.

Israeli drones released several tear gas canisters on crowds awaiting the release of Palestinian prisoners near Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, according to CNN.

“We saw at least two canisters being dropped targeting the crowds and press that had gathered on top of a hill overlooking Ofer Prison,” said CNN’s Nada Basheer.

A spokesperson for the Israeli police told CNN that the action was in response to individuals allegedly waving Hamas flags and throwing stones at security forces. “In response, the forces utilized crowd control measures to restore order and disperse the gathering,” the spokesperson said. However, CNN’s crew did not witness any Hamas flags at the site.

The three women, released from captivity earlier on Sunday, are in stable condition and under medical observation at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, hospital staff announced during a late night news conference. 

“I’m happy to report that they are in stable condition,” Professor Itai Pessach, a senior member of the medical team. “That allows us and them to focus on what is the most important thing for now – reuniting with the families. We will continue to monitor all their clinical conditions. This will take a few more days until we complete all the examinations that are needed, and treat whatever we find.”

“We feel privileged to be the ones who get this tremendous honor to treat those hostages and we will continue to stay here and be prepared until the last hostage returns to Israel,” Pessach added.

Hours after Israeli hostages reunited with their families, Palestinians are still waiting for Israel to fulfill its part of the agreement to release 90 prisoners, mostly women and minors, held in Israeli jails. The delay has not been officially explained by either Israeli authorities or the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is facilitating the prisoner transfer.

According to Al Jazeera Arabic, Red Cross teams are still conducting medical examinations of the prisoners at Ofer Prison. Their families have gathered near the prison, located outside Jerusalem, to await the arrival of their friends and loved ones.

The IDF has shared a video of the moment the first three hostages released by Hamas returned to Israel.