Hamas released three female Israeli hostages after the ceasefire went into effect. Hamas handed over the three hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza City. The ICRC confirmed that the hostages were in “good condition” before the ICRC transferred them to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the southern Gaza Strip. The IDF then transported the hostages to a medical facility in southern Israel for further examination. Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire-hostage agreement on January 19. Israel is expected to release 1,904 Palestinian prisoners during the first phase of the ceasefire. An Israeli Army Radio correspondent published a list of 67 Palestinian prisoners included among the 1,904 prisoners scheduled for release. Most of these prisoners were members of Palestinian militia groups, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Fatah, and participated in attacks that targeted Israeli civilians and soldiers.
The IDF withdrew from areas in the northern and southern Gaza Strip on January 19. The IDF 84th and 933rd Infantry Brigades (162nd Division) withdrew from Jabalia and Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. Geolocated footage obtained on January 19 showed that the IDF withdrew from the northern Gaza Strip and deployed in the IDF-designated buffer zone along the Gaza Strip’s northeastern boundary. Israeli forces simultaneously withdrew from some areas of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, according to footage posted by a Palestinian journalist. The IDF remains in other, designated areas of the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi corridor.
Gazans began to return to the northern Gaza Strip from IDF-designated humanitarian zones in the southern and central Gaza Strip amid IDF withdrawal from these areas on January 19. Part of the ceasefire agreement requires the IDF to facilitate the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF Arabic-language spokesperson issued instructions to Gazans that warned Gazan civilians not to approach Israeli forces near the Netzarim Corridor, the Philadelphi Corridor, and the Rafah border crossing. The IDF spokesperson added that movement around these areas remains “dangerous” due to “IDF activities” there. The IDF spokesperson also instructed Gazans to not approach the IDF-designated buffer zone along the Gaza Strip’s northern and eastern boundaries.
Key Takeaways:
- Gaza Strip Ceasefire: The IDF withdrew from areas in the northern and southern Gaza Strip on January 19.
- Iraqi Intelligence Community: Iran and its partners in Iraq are continuing to try to gain control over the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS).
- West Bank: The IDF Central Command said it will deploy new forces to the West Bank to dissuade and prevent Palestinian militia attacks. Israel will release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners into the West Bank as part of the ceasefire-hostage deal, which informed the IDF decision to deploy new forces.
- Syrian Defense Ministry Negotiations: Syrian Interim Defense Minister Marhaf Abu Qasra rejected Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Commander Mazloum Abdi’s proposal that the SDF join the Syrian Defense Ministry as a “military bloc.” The SDF is very unlikely to disarm itself while engaged in defensive operations against Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) attacks by groups that have repeatedly committed atrocities against Kurdish populations elsewhere in Syria.
- Northern Syria: Turkey and the Turkish-backed SNA also appear to be deploying and reinforcing elements along SDF frontlines on the Euphrates River and near Ain Issa.
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