Hostage/Prisoner Releases Continue

Implementation of phase 1 of the ceasefire in Gaza, despite the uncertain ramifications of President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate the entire Palestinian population out of Gaza, is still ongoing. Hamas released 3 hostages, all adult males, this morning (Feb. 8) and in turn Israel released 183 Palestinians from Israeli prisons. AP noted that Trump’s “stunning proposal” to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza, welcomed by Israel but vehemently rejected by the Palestinians and most of the international community, does not appear to have affected the current phase of the truce, which runs until early March.