Israel releases 10 Palestinian detainees under ceasefire deal

Ten Palestinian detainees released on Monday, Dec. 15, following the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas arrived in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, Anadolu reports.

The Palestinians, freed from Israeli prisons under the first phase of the agreement, were transferred by the International Committee of the Red Cross to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for medical checks.

According to Palestinian figures, at least 86 detainees have died in Israeli custody since October 2023. Rights groups, however, put the figure at over 100 during the same period.

Palestinian authorities estimate that more than 9,300 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, including more than 50 women and about 350 children, in addition to those kept in Israeli army camps.

A ceasefire agreement took effect in Gaza on Oct. 10 under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan, halting two years of Israeli attacks that have killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured nearly 171,000 others since October 2023.

Phase one of the deal includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Israel ties the start of negotiations for launching the second phase of the ceasefire agreement to receiving the bodies of all its captives. It claims that the remains of one Israeli captive are still in Gaza, while Hamas says it has handed over all 20 Israeli hostages who were alive and the remains of all 28 who were killed.