When Hamas-led Palestinian fighters attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and took about 250 folks captive, it set in movement a problem that immediately.
0became vitally necessary to a lot of Israeli society.
The captives instantly grew to become a logo for Israelis, used to justify Israel’s brutal battle on Gaza – which has now killed greater than 46,800 Palestinians. However the matter has additionally divided Israelis, with many, significantly these supportive of the opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insisting that the federal government has not performed sufficient to safe a deal that may result in their launch.
Now {that a} ceasefire deal has been agreed upon, the nightmare of captivity may very well be about to finish for these held in Gaza.
What number of captives shall be launched from Gaza?
There are believed to be roughly 100 Israeli captives left in Gaza, all of whom are anticipated to be launched if the deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas is totally applied.
However not all shall be launched without delay. Within the first six-week section of the deal, 33 captives are anticipated to be launched on a gradual foundation in alternate for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The Israeli captives to be launched on this section embody some who’re sick or wounded, in addition to feminine troopers and males over 50.
Egypt has mentioned that these launched within the first section shall be exchanged for 1,890 Palestinian prisoners. Israel has mentioned that it’ll launch 95 Palestinians, all ladies and kids, on the primary day of the ceasefire on Sunday.
The remainder of the captives, all believed to be male troopers, shall be launched in later phases of the ceasefire deal, in alternate for an unspecified variety of Palestinian prisoners.
What do we all know concerning the identities of the captives being launched?
No official listing of the Israeli captives being launched within the first section has been printed but, and whereas the identities of the captives nonetheless in Gaza are recognized, it’s unclear who continues to be alive.
In reality, on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned that the ceasefire wouldn’t start till Israel obtained the listing of the captives who can be launched.
Hamas has mentioned that a variety of Israeli captives have been killed in Israeli assaults on the places the place they’d been held, however movies have additionally been launched with messages from among the captives.
Whereas the entire remaining captives are Israeli, some are dual-nationals, together with from the USA, Argentina and Germany.
5 of the captives are believed to be feminine troopers who have been captured throughout raids on October 7.
And two of the captives who’re anticipated to be launched within the first section are Israelis who have been taken captive in Gaza earlier than October 7, and who’ve spent years within the enclave.
What’s going to the handover course of be like?
Whereas some captives have been freed by Israeli forces in navy operations that killed dozens of Palestinian civilians, greater than 100 – the overwhelming majority of those that have left Gaza – have been launched in a short lived ceasefire in November 2023.
Throughout that prisoner alternate, the captives launched have been transferred by Palestinian fighters to the Crimson Cross, after which handed over to Israeli forces.
Israel has ready medical groups to obtain the captives, and the pinnacle of the well being workforce on the Hostages Households Discussion board, Hagai Levine, expects that many could have cardiovascular and respiratory points after having spent so lengthy underground in tunnels.
How necessary has their captivity been in Israel?
The subject of the captives has been a central one in Israel and amongst pro-Israel supporters for the reason that battle started.
The discharge of the captives has been one of many main battle targets of Israel, however it additionally arguably contradicts one of many different said targets, the whole defeat of Hamas.
It is because Hamas has provided to launch the captives for the reason that battle started as a part of a deal that may finish the battle, a requirement that the Israeli prime minister had constantly refused till not too long ago.
In reality, Israel’s far-right nationwide safety minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has declared that he has been in a position to make use of his political energy to cease any deal from going down over the previous yr, in essence putting the purpose of defeating Hamas and constructing unlawful Israeli settlements in Gaza above the discharge of the captives in a prisoner alternate. Ben-Gvir is now anticipated to comply with by on his promise to resign if the deal is applied.
Nonetheless, the return of the captives is the first demand for a lot of Israelis. Their photos are displayed on posters throughout Israel, and the “carry them house now” demand is frequently heard at protests. A plaza in Tel Aviv has been renamed “Hostages Sq.”, and is a focus for demonstrations.
Members of the family of captives have had frequent run-ins with members of Israel’s authorities, and a motion representing them has promised to proceed to push for the discharge of the captives. “We is not going to enable them [far-right ministers] to sabotage the total implementation of the deal,” a speaker at an occasion supporting the ceasefire deal mentioned on Saturday.
