Sadness, enthusiasm as Palestinians testify to the release of Israeli prisoners | Israel-Palestinian conflict

Khan Younis, Gaza – From 8am, 32-year-old Abu Yusuf* stood in a crowd near the ruin of the former Yahya Sinwar House, a killed political and military leader of Hamas, in southern Gazi Khan Younis. With a four -year -old son on his shoulders, he waited to see that two Israeli prisoners were set up.

Around Abu Yusuf, thousands of people gathered in the middle of the sea of ​​green Hamas flags and black banners Palestinian Islamic jihad group. There were also portraits of Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese leader of Hezbollah killed by Israel, the paintings of Abdela-Malika al-Houthija, the leader of Yemen Houthis, and Fathi Shaqaqi, the late founder of Islamic Jihad.

“I am proud to see these prisoners released in exchange for countless Palestinians who have remained in Israeli prisons for decades,” said Abu Yusuf.

Editions are part of high roles Participation Agreement Directed to end the months of the war that began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas Fighters launched a deadly attack on Israel. Under an agreement that entered into force On January 19, Hamas will release 33 Israeli prisoners for six weeks. In turn, up to 1,650 Palestinian prisoners could get rid of Israeli prison.

Exchange on Thursday, third Ever since the fire interruption began, he started with Hamas who released a 20-year-old soldier Agam Berger At the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gazi, followed by civilian release Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses In addition to five Thai nationals in Khan Younis in the handover he was monitored by the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, the Al-Quds Brigade.

Later during the day, the Israeli authorities released 110 Palestinian prisoners including 32 serving of life sentences and 30 minors.

Abu Yusuf said he walked more than five kilometers (three miles) from his village to arrive early and waited more than four hours to witness the prisoner’s release.

He says that their release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners seems to feel that what he lost in the war is not in vain. “These scenes,” he said, “help relieve pain of losing my two -story house and relatives from Israeli air attacks.”

While the armored trucks were transported by wearing fighters lined in combat equipment and black balers, Abu Yusuf proudly gestured to them.

“The resistance fighters are still here, living and capable of hitting backwards,” he said. “The whole exchange reminder is that interest failed to break us.”

‘The steady of people’

Along the packed heels of Khan Younis Street, where the handover took place and where the Sinwar home stood, people waved to the banners as they witnessed what many in the crowd considered a “symbolic victory”.

Two women waved their handwritten signs of thanks to Iran, Hezbollah and Houthis for their support. One of them, Yasmin*, 28, squeezed the banner reading, “To all who stood with us, our victory is your victory.”

“We are here to thank every nation that supported our resistance, especially Iran, [Lebanon’s] Hezbollah and Yemen, “she said.” But the persistence of our people brought us here. “

Dozens of protesters arrived on the remains of flattened homes to witness handover.

The two -hour delay slightly dimmed the fervor of the audience as people were shooting on smartphones and sang celebratory slogans.

Two Israeli prisoners, lined with masked fighters of Al-Quds Brigis, were strongly guarded while moving through the crowd and according to representatives of the Red Cross International Committee (ICRC).

The passers -by moved forward to photograph, and the young men close to the prisoners who drove while they were taken.

Mohammed*, 22, his voice that bought with sarcasm, shouted: “Arbel, you have caused us so many problems,” referring to controversy for release Arbel Yehud, which led to tense deviations between the negotiator and the frustration among the Palestinians.

Israel said Yehud was supposed to be released last Saturday, and after not, the accused Hamas from a violation of the agreement and then forbade the Palestinians to return to their homes in the north. Later, an agreement was reached to open the path of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to the northern Gaza.

“Return to his family. We are better without you! “He yelled.

‘The price we paid’

Among the viewers, people described a sense of feelings and sadness after the war that killed at least 47,035 Palestinians and wounded 111,091.

The cries of “Allah Akbar!”, The term often heard during the celebration of Eid, rang the streets, the sounds of jubilee in contrast to the destruction around him. Khan Younis houses lie in the ruins, agricultural land is confiscated from the bulldozer, and the remaining olive trees are coal.

Abdul Qadir*, a 63-year-old with a white beard and glasses framed with wires, put it aside and watched in silence.

“We should not seek a quarrel with any Arab nation or international community,” he told Al Jazeera.

Gesticulating the ruins around him, he said, “Merit goes to Palestinians,” who endured more than 15 months of relentless shelling, surviving “genocide”.

“Our resistance forced the world to see us. We endured bombs, siege, loss. But what stays? “He asked.” Look at this destruction: our homes, our farms. That’s the price we paid. “

This article was published in collaboration with Egab.

*All respondents asked their surnames to be denied for security problems.