Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai hostages in Gaza on Thursday and Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners after delaying the process in anger at the swarming crowds at one of the hostage handover points.

Among the 110 released prisoners, 66 were freed in the occupied West Bank, nine were released in the Gaza Strip and 14 went to their homes in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, according to Amin Shuman,

Israel’s military says it won’t complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Sunday as outlined in its ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah militants.

Newsweek has reached out to the Jerusalem Municipality for comment via email. The arrests highlight the ongoing tensions between Israel and Palestinians, especially in light of the ceasefire that ended a major conflict.

The prisoners released were all men, ranging in age from 15 to 69, with nearly two dozen serving life sentences for more egregious crimes transferred to Egypt before further deportation.

Israel freed 110 Palestinian prisoners in a deal with Hamas, releasing them in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Key figures among the released include former militant leaders and long-term prisoners.

The release of more than 100 Palestinian prisoners as laid out in the Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal had been in doubt after crowds in southern Gaza surrounded hostages who were being freed.

Crowds of cheering Palestinians greeted prisoners released by Israel as they arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah Saturday.

Crowds greet Palestinian prisoners after being released from Israeli prison in the West Bank city of Ramallah, 30 January, 2025

Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners on Thursday, in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in captivity in Gaza

The sometimes chaotic exchange process briefly delayed Israel’s release of 110 Palestinian prisoners and underscored the fragility of the ceasefire that began earlier this month.