Widespread celebrations as hostages, Palestinians walk free

All 20 living hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel walked free on Monday as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that decimated the Gaza Strip and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.

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The Israeli military said on Monday it was escorting into Israel the bodies of four deceased captives who had been held by Hamas in Gaza. It was not immediately clear when the remaining 24 deceased captives would be handed over by Hamas. Israel said it freed more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Speaking to parliament, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared he was “committed to this peace,” raising hopes that the ruinous war, which triggered other conflicts in the Middle East, might come to an end. But fundamental questions remain over when and how, whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza.

Cheering crowds greeted buses of released prisoners in the West Bank and Gaza, while families and friends of the hostages gathered in a square in Tel Aviv, Israel and cried out with joy and relief as news arrived that the captives were free.

Hundreds cheered as two buses carrying dozens of released prisoners arrived in Beitunia in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The freed men, with their heads’ shaved, descended from the bus, flashing V-for-victory signs; some were lifted up onto the shoulders of the crowd, while others sunk into chairs nearby exhausted.

“It was an indescribable journey of suffering — hunger, unfair treatment, oppression, torture and curses — more than anything you could imagine,” said Kamal Abu Shanab, a 51-year-old Fatah member from the West Bank town of Tulkarem.

His face gaunt, he said he lost 139 pounds (59 kilograms) in prison.