Abdullahian presented with Berri and Mikati the war in Gaza and the confrontations on the Lebanese border

The condition of the families of Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners ranged between pain and hope on Wednesday, after the approval of the exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas, but they all hope to embrace their loved ones soon, according to Agence France-Presse.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas announced that it would initially release 50 detainees, women and children under the age of 19, who were detained during the October 7 attack in southern Israel, an attack unparalleled in severity and scope since the establishment of the Hebrew state. They will be released in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners, including women and boys under the age of 19, in addition to a 4-day humanitarian truce.

Israel published a list of the names of Palestinian prisoners, while Hamas has not yet announced the names of the detainees in question. However, the feelings of the families were equally strong in both camps. The Hostage Families Forum, the main association of relatives of Israeli detainees, said: “We are very happy that the partial release process is underway, but we do not currently know exactly who will be released and when.”

Among the approximately 240 detainees in Gaza, there are at least 35 children, including 18 who are 10 years old or younger, and more than 50 women, according to a count by Agence France-Presse. Gilad Korngold, whose seven family members are detained, including his 8-year-old grandson, Naveh, and 3-year-old granddaughter, Yahil, said: “Hamas will publish every evening the names of those who will be released the next day.”

Happy but

Gilad explained to Agence France-Presse: “All we know is that we have to stay at home,” and added: “Until I see them with my own eyes, I will not believe what they tell me.”

Shemi Calderon, whose nephew Ofer is being detained, confirmed that he has conflicting feelings. He said: “We are happy that there is an agreement, but they will not return until it is actually achieved.” He added: “Let’s hope this madness stops as soon as possible for everyone.”

In Tel Aviv, where relatives of detainees have been demonstrating for more than 6 weeks, feelings range between relief and frustration, as everyone demands an agreement that includes all detainees. Marva Tuvia (42 years old) summed up the matter by saying: “We are happy for those who will be released, but we are still thinking about all those who will remain,” explaining: “I have conflicting feelings.”

The hostages were taken and transferred to Gaza following the attack by Hamas fighters on Israeli territory on October 7, which also killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to the authorities. Since then, Israel has been relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip. Which led to the killing of more than 14,100 people in the coastal strip, most of them children and women, according to the Hamas government.

The Israeli authorities confirm that none of the Palestinian prisoners on the list had “blood on their hands.” The list includes 300 names, but the agreement currently covers only 150 of them.

Conflicting feelings

The families of Palestinian prisoners, in turn, feel conflicting feelings. Samira Dwayyat, from East Jerusalem, told Agence France-Presse: “I cry, laugh, and tremble.” It is possible that Israel will release her daughter, Shorouk (26 years old), who spent 8 years in prison, which is half of her sentence. The mother adds: “This year, I kept imagining her walking through the door.”

Muhammad Ziada says about his sister Rawan (29 years old), who spent 8 out of 10 years in prison on charges of attempting to carry out a stabbing attack: “Our joy is great, and there is no equal to it, and we hope that all the prisoners will be released.” He added to Agence France-Presse: “We do not know whether it will come out in the first batch or not, but thank God for everything, and we have mercy on all the martyrs who fell during the war, but this is our condition under occupation, whether prisoners or martyrs.”

The list of Palestinian prisoners eligible for release includes 33 women, 123 children under the age of 18, and 144 boys over the age of 18, from the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Some of them have been convicted, but most are awaiting trial on charges ranging from incitement to stone-throwing to attempted murder, according to Jessica Montiel, director of the Israeli human rights organization HaMoked.

Among them are also women and minors in administrative detention, and she adds in this regard: “These people should have been released unconditionally, so this agreement is truly welcome.”

Israa Jaabis (38 years old) is the most famous name on the list. She was sentenced to eleven years in prison for detonating a gas canister in her car at an Israeli checkpoint in 2015. Which led to the injury of a policeman. After 47 days of war in Gaza, her sister Mona says: “We are trying to accept the idea of ​​releasing all these detainees after thousands of people were killed, but it is difficult and our joy is mixed with the blood shed.”