Ceasefire Sparks Hope and Debate: Hostages Released with Hamas ‘Gift Bags’ as Gaza Rebuilds Amid Uncertainty

The latest ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has allowed for the release of hostages and prisoners while providing a temporary sense of relief amid Gaza’s ongoing destruction. 

The truce has facilitated the flow of much-needed humanitarian aid, but conflicting views on the region’s future have emerged, signaling that the struggle for peace is far from over.

On Sunday night, Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades, released a propaganda video showcasing the transfer of three Israeli hostages, a move that caught widespread attention.

In the footage, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari were shown being escorted into a Red Cross vehicle in Gaza City, each handed a paper bag featuring the Qassam Brigades' logo—a symbolic "gift bag." 

Alongside the bag, a militant displayed a certificate written in Hebrew and Arabic, reading "release decision." 

The three women transferred from the Red Cross to the Israeli military in Gaza holding the blurred ‘gift bags’

Later, footage from the Israel Defense Forces showed the three women holding the same bags, though the Qassam Brigades’ logo had been blurred. 

A family representative for Gonen told a media outlet that the bag contained a certificate, a necklace, and photographs, though the details of the photographs were not disclosed.

Reports indicate that Israeli authorities confiscated these items shortly after the handover.

International Reactions and the Ongoing Truce

The announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on Sunday, raised hopes of increased humanitarian aid deliveries. 

Hundreds of trucks are expected to enter Gaza daily. However, the ceasefire has sparked mixed reactions, especially from the extreme right-wing in Israel, who are critical of any concession to Hamas, and those advocating for diplomatic dialogue. 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that Israel’s objectives in Gaza remain unmet. 

"We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost. That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war," Blinken warned.

The 42-day truce aims to provide relief to the devastated Gaza Strip, which has been severely impacted by Israel’s counteroffensive following the October 7 attacks by Hamas. 

This ceasefire marks the second such agreement in the ongoing Gaza war, following a week-long truce in November 2023.

Celebrations broke out in Gaza, where Hamas fighters emerged from hiding, and in Ramallah, West Bank, where fireworks lit up the sky as buses carrying freed Palestinian prisoners arrived. 

Devastation in Gaza and Hope for Reconstruction

Palestinians have started returning to what is left of their homes in Jabalia

Despite the celebrations, Gaza remains in ruins. 

As Palestinians begin the long process of rebuilding their bombed-out neighborhoods, relief efforts continue to pour in.

The first phase of the ceasefire is expected to involve the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 33 hostages, though many prisoners are believed to have perished during the violence.

Humanitarian aid trucks enter RafahAya, a displaced Gaza resident, shared her emotional reaction: “I feel like at last I found some water to drink after being lost in the desert for more than a year.”

The ceasefire agreement coincided with the eve of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. 

Trump’s national security adviser-designate, Mike Waltz, expressed the U.S. stance, stating that should Hamas violate the truce, the United States would support Israel in taking further action. Waltz emphasized, "Hamas will never govern Gaza. That is completely unacceptable."