The swaps of hostages for prisoners are a key part of a ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas. Militants are still holding dozens more hostages abducted in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. Also on Thursday, Hamas confirmed the death of Mohammed Deif, head of its military wing and one of the alleged masterminds of the Oct. Israelis rejoiced as images of the freed hostages reuniting with their families were shown live on TV β and then replayed throughout the day and night.
There was a different joyous homecoming on the other side of the divide. Scores of Palestinians thronged the buses carrying released prisoners into the West Bank city of Ramallah, some offering wreaths of flowers in the colors of the Palestinian flag and warm jackets to cover the men hoisted on the shoulders of supporters. Shortly before, Palestinians threw stones outside the prison and Israeli forces fired tear gas in an effort to clear the area. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. The release of prisoners came hours after the chaotic hostage handover in the Gaza Strip, where militants held off thousands of boisterous Palestinian onlookers as they handed the hostages over to the Red Cross.
Hamas released seven of the hostages in front of the destroyed home of its slain leader, Yahya Sinwar, as thousands pressed in. The first hostage β female soldier Agam Berger, 20 β was released after Hamas paraded her in front of a smaller crowd in the heavily destroyed urban Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza.
Hours later, at a handover of the other seven in the southern city of Khan Younis, hundreds of militants from Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group arrived with a convoy, and thousands gathered to watch, some from the tilted rooftops of bombed-out buildings.
