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Hamas to release four hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners

Hamas announced the release of four female hostages on January 25, as it was reported to coincide with Israel’s release of Palestinian prisoners in a second round of exchanges after the Gaza truce.

The development has been confirmed to AFP by Taher al-Nunu, a Hamas spokesman, who said the group would release “four Israeli female detainees in exchange” for a new batch of Palestinian prisoners. No specific details have been released on the identities of the hostages set for release.

Times of Israel cites that there were seven women hostages left out of an initial list of 33 supposed to be freed as the first phase of the hostage ceasefire deal. They include Arbel Yehud, 29; Shiri Silberman Bibas, 33; Liri Albag, 19; Karina Ariev, 20; Agam Berger, 21; Danielle Gilboa, 20; and Naama Levy, 20.

In a related development, the IDF said Palestinians who had fled to southern Gaza during the height of the fighting would be allowed to return to northern Gaza, provided Hamas observes the terms of the truce.

Colonel Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, stated, “If Hamas complies with all aspects of the agreement, starting next week, residents of the Gaza Strip will be able to return to the northern region, and instructions will be issued accordingly.”

The cease-fire agreement stated that Gazans not armed with weapons could return on foot, on the seventh day through northern Gaza using the coastal road, without an inspection. Any returning vehicle in the region should, however be checked by a private company named by mediators and Israel.

For the first time in 22 days, the Israelis will begin to pull out from the Netzarim Corridor with a partial return on foot by displaced and unarmed Palestinians back to their homes in northern Gaza through the Salah a-Din road.

The Israeli army added that in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, early on Tuesday morning, a “counterterrorism” operation was launched, killing one man, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The operation, in areas known for being hotbeds of militant groups, was confirmed by the Israeli army and Security Agency in a joint statement.

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