Farrukh Abadi
The ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, led by Hamas, began on Sunday (01/19) and is set to last 42 days in its first phase. The first day saw the exchange of three Israeli prisoners of war in return for 90 Palestinians. Over the course of the first phase of the ceasefire, a total of 33 Israeli prisoners of war will be exchanged for around 2,000 Palestinians.
The prisoner exchange represents the achievement of the stated goal of Operation al-Aqsa Flood from the start, as planned by Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades led by Yahya Sinwar. Many of the prisoners slated to be released from Israeli prisons were serving multiple life sentences until the resistance forced matters with arms in hand. In addition to the prisoner exchange, the ceasefire allows aid convoys to enter Gaza and stipulates the expulsion of Israeli forces from all of Gaza. Meanwhile, contrary to the aims of the US and Israel, Hamas remains fully armed and has in fact grown in popularity since the launch of its successful operation.
The very first Palestinian prisoner slated for release was Khalida Jarrar, a prominent leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine who has been subject to Israeli persecution since 1998 for her political activities.
Released Palestinians detailed the torture they experienced by Israeli forces up to the moment they were released, with many requiring immediate medical attention. While families awaited the release of their loved ones from Israel’s Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank, Israel fired tear gas to disperse relatives waiting outside the prison.
In contrast, the three Israeli prisoners were released in good health according to Israeli medical officials, and were pictured smiling and greeting the Qassam force escorting them to the Red Cross.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has detained more than 10,700 Palestinians in the West Bank, and thousands more in Gaza.
Although Israel has begun withdrawing its forces from central Gaza to the borders, they have already violated the ceasefire terms by continuing sporadic attacks. On Sunday, Israel carried out airstrikes throughout the enclave, killing 10 and injuring 25 Palestinians. This continued into Monday, where Israeli gunfire injured four Palestinians in southern Gaza.
Abu Obeida, the spokesman for al-Qassam Brigades, gave a speech on the first day of the ceasefire, declaring al-Aqsa Flood as “the final nail into the coffin of the occupation that is now on its way to vanishing.” He commended the support from other anti-imperialist forces in the region and commented on Israel’s shifting focus from Gaza to the West Bank. Abu Obeida stated: “Today, the responsibility on our people in the West Bank is growing, and we offer a special salute to Jenin, the sister city of Gaza in its heroism and steadfastness.”
Palestinian resistance in the West Bank continues, with an Israeli officer killed and three others wounded by an IED in the West Bank Sunday night following an Israeli raid near Tubas.
For its part, Yemen’s Ansarallah, which has supported the Palestinian people throughout the war with a naval blockade in the Red Sea and aerial attacks on Israel, has vowed to monitor the ceasefire with arms at the ready for any signs of a US-Zionist derailment of the process.
Photo: Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades swap three Israeli prisoners in Saraya Square in Gaza. Credit: QNN.
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