Gaza ceasefire agreement sees eight hostages return to Israel

As many as eight hostages held in Gaza for 482 days have been released and returned to Israel as part of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, Israeli authorities have confirmed.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) transferred seven hostages—two Israeli citizens and five Thai nationals—on January 28 after their release from Khan Younis, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media. Earlier in the day, another Israeli hostage had been freed.

The released Israeli hostages have been identified as Agam Berger, 21, Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, 80. The names of the Thai nationals are yet to be confirmed.

To recap, more than 500,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza following a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Gaza media office reported. The movement comes after an agreement allowing displaced individuals to go back after 15 months of conflict. 

Gaza’s health authorities reported 63 deaths in 24 hours, bringing the toll to 47,417. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli airstrikes and raids killed at least 12 Palestinians, further escalating tensions.

By Aghakazim Guliyev