Hamas Releases Three More Hostages; 183 Palestinians Freed from Israeli Prisons

In the fifth round of the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, Hamas released three more Israeli hostages on Saturday, February 20, in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The extremist group Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU, provided the names of the three hostages on Friday evening and handed them over to Red Cross officials in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza a short while ago. The three hostages, including Ohad Ben Ami (56), Eli Sharabi (52), and Or Levi (34), were kidnapped during Hamas's assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. According to Israeli media, Sharabi and Levi lost family members in the Hamas attack on October 7. Shortly after, Israel also released 183 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the hostages. Some of these prisoners had been convicted for participating in attacks that resulted in the deaths of dozens. Among them was Iyad Abu Shukaydem, who had been sentenced to 18 life sentences in Israel for orchestrating suicide attacks in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leaders by Israel in 2004. The implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, began on Sunday, January 30. In the three weeks since the ceasefire was implemented, four rounds of exchanges have taken place, with Hamas releasing a total of 13 Israeli hostages and five Thai citizens, while hundreds of Palestinians have been freed from Israeli prisons. According to the agreement, in the first phase, which lasts 42 days, Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from central Gaza, and a total of 33 Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be released, with 600 trucks of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip daily. However, the extremist group Hamas claimed on Friday that the number of aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip in recent days is less than the figures mentioned in the agreement. According to a media office in Gaza under Hamas's supervision, of the total 12,000 trucks that were supposed to enter the Gaza Strip by now, only 8,500 have arrived, and of the 6,000 trucks that were supposed to deliver aid directly to northern Gaza, fewer than 3,000 have reached there. The group also claimed that no pre-fabricated houses have entered the Gaza Strip contrary to the agreement. Israeli officials rejected these accusations and, in turn, accused Hamas of violating the agreement. According to Israeli officials, Hamas recently submitted the names of hostages that were to be released on Saturday after 4 PM on Friday. According to the Times of Israel, disputes over potential ceasefire violations have escalated with Donald Trump's 'surprising' statements about the future of Gaza. Mr. Trump has recently reiterated his proposal to relocate Palestinians to Arab countries, U.S. control over the Gaza Strip, and turning the strip into a recreational coastal area. The Israeli Prime Minister welcomed this proposal, but Arab countries and several other nations, as well as the United Nations, have expressed strong opposition to it. On the other hand, the executive order by the U.S. President regarding sanctions against certain members of the International Criminal Court targeting American citizens or its allies continues. These sanctions include financial restrictions and a travel ban for those sanctioned and their families to the U.S. According to this executive order signed on Thursday, U.S. Treasury and State Department officials will provide a list of individuals to be sanctioned within 60 days. Reuters reported on Friday, citing two informed sources, that Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, is the first person on this list. According to Reuters, under an agreement between the United Nations and the U.S. government, Karim Khan has regularly attended several United Nations Security Council meetings in New York, and his continued attendance at these meetings is uncertain if he is banned from traveling to the U.S. On Friday, 79 countries, about two-thirds of the members of the International Criminal Court, issued a joint statement warning that U.S. sanctions could increase the risk of impunity for the most serious crimes and threaten international rule of law. This statement also warned that the sanctions 'severely undermine all situations under investigation' and that the court 'may be forced to close its field offices.' The International Criminal Court condemned the U.S. action in sanctioning the institution and stated that it is committed to continuing to provide 'justice and hope for millions of innocent victims of crimes worldwide.' The current crisis in the region began after the extremist group Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages in its attack on southern Israel. In response, Israel launched a military operation across the Gaza Strip, which, according to Hamas officials, has so far resulted in about 47,000 deaths.