Gaza fighters hand over eight more hostages

Palestinian fighters on Thursday freed three Israeli hostages and five foreigners captured in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel as the third hostage-prisoner exchange of the Gaza cease-fire got underway.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced what he called "shocking scenes" during the hostage releases, which came under a cease-fire deal aimed at ending the war in the Gaza Strip.

First to be freed was Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, handed over to International Committee of the Red Cross officials in Jabalia in the north of the Palestinian territory.

Before she was freed, footage of a somber Berger showed her on a stage with masked Hamas members in distinctive green headbands, being prompted to wave to onlookers.

Hostage Arbel Yehoud, held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 2023 attack, enters a vehicle as Palestinian militants hand her over to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, January 30, 2025. Reuters

Israel's military said Berger was being taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

It said another two Israelis and five foreigners were later handed over to the Red Cross and en route to Israel.

It said they were "on their way toward IDF (army) and ISA (security agency) forces in the Gaza Strip."

The two other Israeli hostages due to be freed were Gadi Moses and Arbel Yehud. Five Thais were also to be released.

In devastated Khan Yunis, dense crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of Yehud and Moses ahead of their release near the childhood home of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed in October.

A drone view shows people gathering near vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), on the day Palestinian Militants hand over hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 2023 attack to members of the ICRC, as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, January 30, 2025.Reuters

Ahead of the release, Islamic Jihad aired video footage of Moses and Yehud hugging each other and smiling.

On Wednesday, the Moses family said it had "received with great excitement the wonderful news of our beloved Gadi's return."

Netanyahu in a statement slammed "the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages."

Television images had shown gunmen struggling to control hundreds of Gazans gathered to witness the handover.

"This is yet another proof of the unimaginable cruelty of the Hamas terrorist organization," Netanyahu said.

A fourth exchange is scheduled for the weekend, but Hamas accused Israel on Wednesday of jeopardizing the deal by holding up aid deliveries, an allegation Israel dismissed as "fake news."

The cease-fire that began on Jan. 19 hinges on the release of Israeli hostages taken during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, in exchange for 1,900 people — mostly Palestinians — in Israeli custody.

Before Thursday, Hamas had released seven hostages, with 290 prisoners freed in exchange.

Israel is to release 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, in exchange for the three Israelis, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group said.

The next swap on Saturday will see three Israeli men released, according to Netanyahu's office.

Aid trucks row

The truce deal has allowed truckloads of aid into the devastated Gaza Strip, where the war has created a long-running humanitarian crisis.

Hostage Arbel Yehoud, held in Gaza since the deadly October 7 2023 attack, enters a vehicle as Palestinian militants hand her over to members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, January 30, 2025. Reuters

However, senior Hamas officials accused Israel of slowing aid deliveries, with one citing key items such as fuel, tents, heavy machinery, and other equipment.

COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body that oversees civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, called this "totally fake news."

As the text of the agreement — mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States — has not been made public, AFP was not able to verify its terms of aid.

Displacement 'injustice'

The cease-fire deal is currently in its first, 42-day phase, which should see 33 hostages freed. The Thai hostages are not included in that number.

Next, the parties are due to discuss a long-term end to the war.

The third and final phase should see the reconstruction of Gaza and the return of any remaining dead hostages.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for sealing the agreement despite it taking effect before his inauguration. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who participated in the talks, met Netanyahu in Israel on Wednesday.

According to the premier's office, Trump invited Netanyahu to the White House on Feb. 4.

After the truce began, Trump touted a plan to "clean out" Gaza, calling for Palestinians to relocate to neighboring countries such as Egypt or Jordan.

However, both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah II rejected this.

More than 376,000 displaced Palestinians have gone back to northern Gaza since Israel reopened access earlier this week, according to the U.N. humanitarian office OCHA, with many returning to little more than rubble.

"My house is destroyed," 33-year-old Mohammed Al-Faleh told AFP.

"The biggest problem is that there is no water — all the water wells are destroyed," he added.

"Food aid is reaching Gaza... but there is no gas or electricity. We bake bread on a fire fueled by wood and nylon."

Israel was to cut ties with the U.N. Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) from Thursday following accusations it provided cover for Hamas fighters, a move likely to hamper delivery of its vital services after 15 months of war in Gaza.

UNRWA, which has long been the lead agency in coordinating aid to Gaza, will be banned from operating on Israeli soil, and contact between it and Israeli officials will also be forbidden.