Tears of reunion on Hamas Day

A moment of reunion

The long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas entered its second day yesterday, after Hamas released three hostages in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. In Ramallah, West Bank, thousands awaited the release of the Palestinian prisoners, including 69 women and 21 teenagers from the West Bank and Jerusalem. According to CNN, emotional scenes were captured as many reunited with their families.

Watch the emotional moment as released Israeli hostages are reunited with their loved ones.

In Tel Aviv, hundreds of Israelis cheered and wept in the square outside the Ministry of Defense headquarters as a live broadcast from Gaza showed three female hostages being boarded a Red Cross vehicle. The Israeli military later announced that the hostages, Romi Gonen (24), Doron Steinbrecher (31), and Emily Damari (28), had been reunited with their families, releasing footage that appeared to show them all in good health. "I want to tell them, Romi, Doron, and Emily, that the whole country embraces you. Welcome home," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Palestinian prisoner Nidaa Zaghebi embraces relatives after being released by Israel on January 20.

According to the agreement, a ceasefire will be implemented, aid will be delivered to Gaza, and 33 of the nearly 100 hostages will be released by Hamas in the first phase, lasting six weeks, in exchange for Israel releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The next release of hostages and prisoners is scheduled for January 25, while negotiations on the next phase will begin on the 16th day of the first phase.

Hamas members put a hostage into a vehicle in Gaza to hand him over to Israel on January 19.

The race for aid

As soon as the agreement came into effect, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) immediately announced it would operate at full capacity to deliver food to Gaza, once the crossings were opened. "We are trying to reach..."

Aid supplies were brought into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing with Egypt on January 19.

"One million people as soon as possible. We are delivering flour, ready-made meals, and we will do everything we can to replenish supplies for bakeries," WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau told AFP. He said the agreement allows 600 trucks carrying aid into Gaza each day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is ready to deliver aid to Gaza, but needs "systematic access" across the strip to deploy it. Most of Gaza's health infrastructure has been destroyed in more than a year of conflict. WHO Director-General Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the ceasefire but added that "addressing the vast health needs and restoring the health system in Gaza will be a complex and challenging task, given the scale of the destruction, the complexity of operations, and the limitations involved."

Palestinians walk through the rubble in Rafah, Gaza, on January 19.

Warning of immense challenges, the WHO estimates that rebuilding the health system in Gaza will take years and billions of dollars. "Only half of the 36 hospitals are partially operational, almost every hospital is damaged or partially destroyed, and only 38% of basic healthcare centers are functioning," according to the WHO. The agency reported that more than 46,600 people were killed and over 110,000 injured in Gaza after Israel retaliated against Hamas attacks that killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.

The US says the Houthi spread misinformation.

AFP reported on January 20th, citing a statement from the US Central Command, that Houthi forces in Yemen had attacked a US aircraft carrier. The statement came after the Houthis announced they had carried out an attack on January 19th, warning of "consequences" for any retaliation during the ceasefire in Gaza. The Houthis claimed to have targeted the USS Harry S. Truman and "other warships" with cruise missiles and drones, forcing the US carrier to "leave the area of ​​operation."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nuoc-mat-doan-tu-ngay-hamas-israel-ngung-ban-185250120211412028.htm