Evening Recap

Good evening Middle East Eye readers,

The blog will soon be closing. Here is what happened today: 

- Hamas’s armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Thursday night the killing of its military leader, Mohammed Deif, and deputy military commander Marwan Issa in combat

- Hamas has freed three Israeli and five Thai captives in Gaza on Thursday as Israel began releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners after an initial delay

- Palestinians poured onto the streets of Gaza and the West Bank today to greet the 110 prisoners, including 30 children, that were released from Israeli prisons today

- Israeli drones have dropped leaflets on the Gaza Strip warning Palestinians not to hold flags or banners or celebrate the release of Palestinian prisoners in any way

- UN secretary general Antonio Guterres on Thursday demanded that 2,500 children be immediately evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment with the guarantee that they will be able to return to their families and communities

- Itamar Ben Gvir, the former Israeli national security minister who resigned over the ceasefire deal, said Israel did not achieve "a complete victory" in Gaza in response to the scenes of the captives' handover in Khan Younis

- Israeli forces arrested 26 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank early Thursday, according to Wafa news agency