12 More Israeli Captives Released in Exchange for 30 Palestinians
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas completed the fifth phase of a swap deal with Israeli regime, releasing 12 captives in exchange for 30 Palestinians as mediated by Qatar and Egypt.
Tuesday marked the fifth day of the exchange, temporarily halting a deadly Israeli campaign against Gaza that has claimed over 15,500 lives in the besieged enclave.
Israel initiated the war on October 7 following an operation by Gaza's resistance groups that led to the captivity of hundreds of settlers.
Among the recent releases by Hamas were 10 Israelis and two Thai nationals, contributing to a total of 81 captives freed by the movement, while Israel has released 150 Palestinian detainees under the agreement.
The initial four-day agreement extended for two more days on Monday, with Khalil al-Hayya from Hamas’s Political Bureau expressing hope for further prolongation of the deal.
Despite the temporary ceasefire, Israel has declared intentions to resume the war with "full force," claiming that it seeks to end Hamas's governance in Gaza. In response, Hamas has affirmed its commitment to Gaza being governed solely by its own people post-conflict.