The Daily Populous Thursday January 16th, 2025 morning edition
Authored by apnews.com and submitted by ClarenceJBoddicker

As the deal was announced, the area that’s become known as “hostages square” in Tel Aviv was calm, with some people unaware that it had gone through.

Sharone lifschitz, whose father Oded is being held hostage, told the AP by phone that she was stunned and grateful but won’t believe it until she sees them come home.

“I can’t wait to see them coming back to their families I’m so desperate to see them if by some miracle my father has survived,” she said. Now it’s up to everyone not to sabotage it, she added.

Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, react to the ceasefire announcement as they take part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, react to the ceasefire announcement as they take part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) Share Share Copy Link copied

Some people whose friends are being held hostage said they won’t trust the deal until all the hostages returned.

“I don’t trust Hamas, don’t trust them at all to bring them back,” said Vered Froner. She and her mother hid in a safe room for 17 hours in Nachal Oz kibbutz during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

She said she’d prefer to have had all of the hostages return at once rather than a phased approach.

herr_oyster on January 15th, 2025 at 22:00 UTC »

This is bitterly, bitterly uplifting.

wardamnbolts on January 15th, 2025 at 21:50 UTC »

“Netanyahu thanked Trump for what he said are promises that “Gaza will never be a haven for terror,” and said the two men agreed to meet soon in Washington about that and “other important issues.”” wonder what that means

HerbaciousTea on January 15th, 2025 at 21:48 UTC »

The reality is that this is the product of months of work by a team of career negotiators and experts, like Brett McGurk and his team that made up the US negotiators that actually worked on the agreement, along with Egyptian and Qatari negotiators.

Those people, the quiet career professionals working for months, concerned with actually getting results in a seemingly impossible situation, are the ones who deserve credit for this.