Ramallah, February 11 (RHC)-- Over the weekend, Israel and Hamas conducted another swap of captives.  Hamas released three Israeli men who had been held hostage since October 7, 2023. 

Israeli health officials said the freed men were suffering from “severe malnutrition.”  Israel released 183 Palestinians, including at least seven who needed immediate hospital care. 

Alaa Al Agha, one of the Palestinians released on Saturday, told reporters: "The conditions were very bad — no food, no water, no medicine.  We were in a torture center for 24 hours.  I spent 40 days handcuffed and blindfolded, and I could not go to the bathroom or anywhere else.  There was no food.  I entered prison at 100 kilograms and left at 58 kilograms.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has repeated his proposal for the United States to take ownership of Gaza.  Describing Gaza as a “big real estate site,” Trump said it would be a “big mistake” to let Palestinians stay there. 

This comes as the U.S. State Department has announced a new $7 billion arms sale to Israel including thousands of bombs and missiles.

In other news from Gaza, Israeli forces have withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor, the key strip of land that bisects Gaza.

Meanwhile, a new investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call reveals Israeli forces indiscriminately dropped bunker buster bombs on residential buildings in Gaza in an attempt to flood underground tunnels with lethal fumes in order to suffocate Hamas fighters.  But +972 reports dozens of these Israeli airstrikes likely endangered or killed hostages, as well.

[ SOURCE: DEMOCRACY NOW ]