Live: At least 137 people killed by Israel recovered from rubble in Rafah

Israeli settlers launched a string of attacks on Palestinian towns and villages in the occupied West Bank, ahead of the release of detainees as part of the ceasefire agreement. 

Wafa news agency reported that vehicles were attacked by settlers in the town of Turmus Ayya, north of Ramallah, and at the Ein Sinya military checkpoint nearby.

In occupied East Jerusalem, under the protection of Israeli security forces, armed settleres damaged Palestinian vehicles in the village of Jaba. 

Meanwhile, in Qalqilya, settlers destroyed properties, shops and vehicles, Wafa reported.

Muhammad al-Khasib from Ramallah, son of prisoner Dalal al-Khasib, 53, told Middle East Eye that his family were eagerly awaiting his mother’s release on Sunday.

From a hill overlooking Ofer Prison, he explained that the Israeli army had prevented people from gathering at the prison’s courtyard, firing tear gas at anyone who approached.

“My mother was arrested a year ago and is still in detention without a sentence. The Israeli prosecution demanded that she be imprisoned for 55 months, but today she will come out with the exchange deal and this nightmare will end,” Khasib said.

He said that he expected the prisoner release to occur late at night, but that it would not matter to families who had waited months or years. 

Khasib’s cousin, Muhammad Saqr, was waiting with him. He is the son of prisoner Fatima Khasib, Dalal’s sister. 

Dalal and Fatima are the sisters of the deputy head of the Hamas political bureau, Saleh Al-Arouri, who was assassinated by Israel in Lebanon a year ago. 

Alaa, 20, Fatima’s daughter, is also a prisoner and is scheduled to be released on Sunday. She was arrested a month and a half ago near the entrance of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

"No matter how late the release is, we will continue to wait until the morning. This is a mountain that was perched on our chests and will be removed as soon as we see the female prisoners enjoying their freedom," Saqr said.

Khasib said that nothing he and his family endured could be compared to the suffering of those in Gaza, “not even the smallest child among them whose hand or leg was amputated”. 

“We will not fulfill what they gave for the sake of the prisoners,” he said.

A Palestinian teenager was shot and killed during an Israeli raid on the town of Sebastia, northwest of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, Wafa news agency reported.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said a 15-year-old was shot in the chest with live bullets during the Israeli raid. 

He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was later confirmed dead by the Palestinian health ministry.

The mayor of Sebastia said live bullets, sound bombs and teargas wounded several other residents of the town.

The Democratic Press Conference, a Palestinian journalists' union, has condemned the Palestinian Authority's arrest of Al Jazeera journalist Givara Budeiri and her cameraperson. 

"These practices constitute a clear violation of the freedom of the press and media guaranteed by law," it said.

"This behavior is completely unacceptable, especially in light of a major national event represented by the release of female prisoners from Israeli occupation prisons.

"We call for respecting the rights of journalists, protecting them, and stopping all violations against them."

After 471 days in Hamas captivity, three Israeli women seized on 7 October 2023 were released on Sunday as a long-awaited ceasefire deal began.

Romi Gonen, 24, from Kfar Vradim, was abducted from the Nova party in Reem. Emily Damari, a 28-year-old with British citizenship, was taken from her home in Kfar Aza. Doron Steinbrecher, 31, was also seized from her home in the same kibbutz that lies on the boundary with the Gaza Strip.

The women were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza City, surrounded by Qassem Brigades fighters and inquisitive civilians. The Red Cross then transferred them to the Israeli military, who reunited them with their mothers.

Gonen's grandmother Deborah said after her release: "I always believed that she would come back, that's what I live for. I didn't understand why it happened so late.

“I was happy to see her walk on her feet, and as soon as I see her, I will give her a hug and a kiss,” she added. “Now everything must be done to bring back the rest of the hostages, my heart goes out to everyone."

Demari's family posted a photo of Emily smiling and happy with her mother. She lost two fingers during the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel, her family said.

According to the truce agreement, the first phase, which will last six weeks, will involve the exchange of 33 Israeli captives and around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners and a return to "sustainable calm".

Read more: Relief and joy in Israel as first captives freed by Gaza ceasefire return home

Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, has called for the remaining captives in Gaza to be released "through force". 

While welcoming the release of three captives on Sunday, Ben Gvir said on X that he was awaiting the return of the remaining captives "through force, cutting off fuel, stopping humanitarian aid, and not through surrender". 

Ben Gvir and members of his Jewish Power party resigned from the government over the ceasefire deal agreed with Hamas. 

The streets of Gaza came alive with celebration in the early hours of the ceasefire, marking the end of more than 15 months of war. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 46,899 and injured 110,750 since 7 October 2023. pic.twitter.com/mt0Upk3oEV

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) January 19, 2025

A prominent Al Jazeera journalist was detained by the Palestinian Authority (PA) while covering the first day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, according to local media. 

Quds Network reported that Givara Budeiri and her cameraperson were arrested on Sunday evening while producing a report awaiting the release of Palestinian detainees due to be freed in a prisoner exchange deal. 

The two were taken to the Palestinian Preventive Security's (PPS) Beitunia police headquarters, near Ramallah. 

Moments before, Budeiri reported live for Al Jazeera Arabic outside Israel's Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank. 

She had been monitoring preparations for the release of 90 Palestinian prisoners, 69 of whom were expected to be women and 21 children. 

Read more: PA reportedly arrests Al Jazeera journalist covering prisoner exchange

Prominent British MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell are due to be questioned by the police under caution on Sunday following a pro-Palestine protest the previous day that led to numerous arrests.

According to a report by the BBC, Corbyn, the former Labour leader, and McDonnell, his former shadow chancellor, agreed voluntarily to attend a police station in central London. 

This follows 77 arrests made during Saturday's protest after police accused demonstrators of breaking through a police cordon in Trafalgar Square. The Organisers denied the claims. 

The Met said on Sunday that 24 people had been released on bail, while 48 remained in custody. Ten people charged are due to appear in court in the coming days. 

The Met added that a "75-year-old, 73-year-old and 61-year-old will be interviewed by officers this afternoon" under criminal caution. 

Read more: Corbyn and McDonnell face police questioning over London Gaza rally

Hamas Military spokesperson Abu Obeida said his group was committed to the ceasefire deal as fighters from the group released three Israeli captives. 

Here's a summary of what he said on Sunday: 

• "We want the deal to be a success to end the bloodshed among our people. 
• "The [ceasefire] deal...could have been reached over a year ago, yet Netanyahu's malicious ambitions led him to continue this genocidal war. 
• "We are prepared to honour all the terms of the agreement and respect the timetable set.
• "October 7 [2023] was a result of the continued oppression of Palestinian people.
• "The occupation is the root of all evil and we must put an end to it. All attempts to continue this will be met by force."

Good evening,  

Nearly a day has passed since the ceasefire deal between Gaza and Israel began to take hold on Sunday morning. 

Palestinian families are awaiting news of their loved ones in Israeli prisons while Israeli families celebrate the release of three Israeli captives from Gaza. 

Here’s a summary of the main developments from today:

• The Israeli army said the Red Cross confirmed the handover of three Israeli captives. The three female captives are Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher.
• The Israeli Prison Service said it is working to process the release of Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire agreement. The Red Cross will verify the prisoners' identities and await the arrival of Israeli captives.
• US President Joe Biden, in his final remarks, has defended his administration's decision to back Israel and said a ceasefire would not have taken place without the support Washington had given Israel. He expressed hope that the incoming administration would help fulfil the remainder of the ceasefire agreement and pave the way for further normalisation efforts between Israel and its regional allies, particularly Saudi Arabia.  
• Hundreds of aid trucks have slowly amassed at the Israeli-controlled Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing as Egypt carries out maintenance at the Rafah crossing.
• The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces have killed at least 46,900 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. 
• Thousands of Palestinians have begun returning to their homes following the ceasefire.
• The Palestinian Civil Defence team said Israeli strikes killed at least 19 Palestinians and wounded 36 more during the delay in implementing the ceasefire on Sunday.
• The London Metropolitan Police arrested one of the main organisers of the national rally for Palestine on Saturday. Chris Nineham, Vice-Chair of the Stop the War Coalition, was charged with violating the Public Order Act.

Middle East Eye's Fayha Shalash is reporting that Palestinian families are eagerly awaiting on the release 90 prisoners from Israeli jails after Hamas began its handover of Israeli captives. 

The list of Palestinians to be freed includes women and children who have been held in Ofer prison, located west of Ramallah.

Under the first phase of the prisoner exchange deal, each female Israeli civilian captive will be exchanged for 30 Palestinian women and children.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) has received the names of the 90 Palestinian prisoners to be released today. Of these, 78 are from the occupied West Bank and 12 are from Jerusalem.

However, Al Jazeera said it obtained information confirming that Sunday’s releases will include Khalida Jarrar, one of the most prominent leaders of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). 

Jarrar, a Palestinian political leader and human rights and feminist advocate, has been held in administrative detention since December 2023. She has reportedly spent the past six months in solitary confinement in a 2-by-1.5m cell. 

Jarrar's sister, Salam Alratrot, previously told Middle East Eye that the prospect of the 61-year-old's release gave her hope that Jarrar would at least leave solitary confinement and end the harshest imprisonment she has ever endured.

Read More: Palestinians await release of 90 prisoners as Israel restricts celebrations

US President Joe Biden defended his administration’s role in defending Israel and said its backing led to the ceasefire, which began on Sunday.

Speaking for the first time since the ceasefire began, Biden said his backing will pave the way to further normalisation for Israel with its regional allies, including Saudi Arabia.