First Stage of Prisoner Exchange Between Hamas and Israel Conducted in Gaza

In the first stage of the prisoner exchange process between Hamas and Israel, Hamas released seven Israeli prisoners on Monday and handed them over to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip. Reuters reported that in the next phase, a total of thirteen more individuals, along with 28 prisoners, will be handed over to Israel. Among these prisoners, 26 are the bodies of deceased individuals, while the status of the remaining two prisoners is still unclear, whether they are alive or not. In response to this, Israel has also agreed to release 1,966 Palestinian prisoners today at Nasser Hospital in Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross is acting as the mediator and facilitator of this exchange, and the continuation of the process is expected in the coming days. The prisoner exchange process has always been a central element in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian groups, and this recent move could signal new efforts to reduce tensions in the region. However, the success of this process depends on the continued comprehensive cooperation and respect for humanitarian agreements.