Ceasefire holds in Gaza ahead of hostage release and Trump’s visit to Israel

CAIRO/JERUSALEM – A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day on Oct 12, ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and an address by US President Donald Trump to Israel’s Parliament.

Thousands of Palestinians continued to travel north towards Gaza City, the focus of Israeli attacks over the past two months, hopeful the ceasefire would bring an end to the war
.

“Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of building, a path of healing, and I hope – a path of uniting hearts,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

Such optimism was shared broadly.

“There is a lot of joy among the people,” said Mr Abdou Abu Seada, adding that the joy was tempered by exhaustion after two years of war that have destroyed much of Gaza.

Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said that Israel expected the hostages to start being released early Oct 13 morning with the 20 living hostages to be released together. Israeli officials said they expect the hostage release to begin around 6am to 7am (11am-noon Singapore time).

In the event that hostages were released earlier, Israel was ready to receive them, she said. Their release is to be followed later by the handover of bodies of the remaining 28 deceased hostages.

Hamas set to release hostages from Oct 13

Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is due by noon on Oct 13 to release the remaining hostages, taken captive on Oct 7, 2023, when the group’s militants launched a surprise attack on Israel that ignited the war.

Israel’s hostages coordinator Gal Hirsch said on Oct 9 a task force would be formed to help find the remains of any dead hostages that Hamas could not locate.

Mr Trump is due to arrive in Israel on Oct 13 to address the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, before travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt for a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war
.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend the summit, an Axios reporter said on Oct 12, citing a senior Palestinian official.

Mr Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner addressed a rally in Tel Aviv on Oct 11, which many Israelis hoped would be the final one urging the release of hostages and an end to the war.

The US, along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first-phase agreement between Israel and Hamas
for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners and detainees by Israel.

“For two years we (have been) waiting for this day, for this moment... All of us feel happy for the family, for the hostages, that finally... we will see them,” said demonstrator Dalia Yosef, thanking Mr Trump.

Gazans returning north find devastation

The Israel Prison Service said it had transferred some Palestinian prisoners
to other facilities ahead of their expected release.

The Israeli Ministry of Justice has released the names of 250 Palestinians, convicted of murder and other serious crimes, who are to be freed under the deal.

The list does not include senior Hamas commanders whom the Islamist militant group had sought to free, or prominent figures from other factions – Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.

Although that was not expected to derail the agreement, Hamas’ prisoners information office said that talks with Israeli mediators over the list of prisoners to be freed were ongoing.

Israel is also to release 1,700 Palestinians who have been detained in Gaza since Oct 7, 2023, and 22 Palestinian minors, along with the bodies of 360 militants.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that, once the hostages were returned, the military would destroy underground tunnels in Gaza built by Hamas
.

Palestinians returning to northern Gaza have described widespread devastation. Rescue workers warned there could be unexploded ordnance and bombs in the area.

Mr Amjad Al Shawa, who heads a Palestinian organisation coordinating with aid groups, estimated that 300,000 tents were needed to temporarily house 1.5 million displaced Gazans.

“We couldn’t believe the destruction we have seen,” Mr Rami Mohammad Ali, 37, said by phone after walking 15km with his son from Deir al-Balah to Gaza City.

“We are joyful to return to Gaza (City), but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction,” he said, describing seeing human remains scattered along roads. REUTERS