Waffenruhe in the Gaza War: hostages and Palestinians on the run!

Waffenruhe in the Gaza War: hostages and Palestinians on the run!

On February 1, 2025, there were significant developments in the Gaza War, which affect both hostage frames and a ceasefire. After the shocking incident on October 7, 2023, when the Hamas kidnapped 251 hostages, intensive efforts to release them have been underway. Last Saturday, two more hostages were released in the Gaza Strip and handed over to the International Red Cross. These hostages had previously been shown by hooded and armed fighters, a sign of the emotional and complex circumstances under which this conflict takes place.

The step to release the hostages is part of a more comprehensive agreement between Israel and Hamas, which came into force on January 19, 2025. The aim of this agreement is a six -week ceasefire that enables 33 hostages to be exchanged for the release of almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, whereby Israel plans to leave 50 prisoners for every civilian hostage 30 and for each soldier. Among the hostages is a "low double-digit number of people with Germany reference", which further illustrates the international dimension of this conflict, such as Tageschau.de

Details of the agreement

The agreement was imparted by international actors such as Qatar, the USA and Egypt and provides for several phases. In the first phase, female hostages, minors and men over 50 are to be freed in particular. Although eight of the hostages, including some of the previously liberated, are already dead, there is hope for the return of the living hostages. Over 94 hostages continue to be in the Gaza Strip, such as Pfalz-express.de specified.

A controversial aspect of the agreement is the release of Palestinian prisoners. Israel has decided to relieve numerous prisoners in exchange for the hostages, which led to protests by members of the victims of terrorism. However, an Israeli court decided to reject the petition of these relatives, which further increases the tensions within the country.

Humanitarian aspects and future developments

Another important point of the agreement is the intensification of humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. The Rafah border crossing will be opened again, and 600 trucks with auxiliary goods are already prepared to supply the affected areas. The first relief supplies are to be reached on Sunday afternoon, according to Deutschlandfunk .

The future of the agreement remains uncertain. There are intensive distrust between the parties to the conflict, and the possibility of failure and renewed fights in the Gaza Strip remains. In addition, the implementation of the ceasefire is hindered by various factors, including technical disorders and continuous conflicts. The next few days will be decisive for the further course of this dangerous and complex location.