The Palestinian resistance group Hamas released eight hostages Thursday as part of ongoing exchanges under the Gaza cease-fire, with Israel expected to free Palestinian prisoners in return. The release was delayed by a chaotic scene in which a crowd of Palestinians surrounded and jeered at hostages as they were turned over to the Red Cross. The truce is aimed at winding down Israel's month genocidal war since Oct.
It has held despite a dispute earlier this week over the sequence in which the hostages were released. The first hostage, female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, was released in northern Gaza. Hours later, a chaotic scene unfolded as thousands of people pressed around a handover site in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, in front of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Footage showed Arbel Yehoud, a year-old hostage, as she was led through the crowd by resistance members toward waiting Red Cross vehicles.
Hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad members arrived with a convoy in a show of force and thousands of people gathered to watch, some from the tilted rooftops of bombed-out buildings.
Red Cross vehicles were then delayed as they tried to drive away. The Israeli army later announced the Red Cross had confirmed it had the freed hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the "shocking scene" and called on international mediators to prevent similar events in the future.
Hamas had earlier handed Berger, 20, to the Red Cross after parading her in front of a crowd in the heavily destroyed urban refugee camp of Jabalia in northern Gaza. The Israeli government later released footage of Berger hugging and crying with her parents. Berger was among five young, female soldiers abducted in the Oct.
