Hussein Fayyad Abu Hamza, a commander in Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, was filmed by NBC News as he walked around Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, greeting civilians. Israel previously claimed he had been killed in fighting after the Hamas attacks of Oct.

The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas, whose Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel sparked the fighting.

The fragility of the truce between Israel and Hamas was laid bare on Saturday, after Israel accused Hamas of withholding a hostage, prompting a halt in the movement of Gazan civilians back to their homes in the north.

One of those released was 19 years old. Twelve of them were 18, seven of them were 17 and one was 15. This list of prisoners was published by Al Jazeera, the Qatari-owned international news service. Al Jazeera describes the group as "69 women and 21 children."

Israeli leaders delayed the release of more than hundred Palestinians as agreed over concerns with how the eight Israeli hostages were released.

After the chaotic handover in southern Gaza, Zivan Frieden, a spokesman for Israel’s prisons authority, said in a statement that the release of over 100 Palestinian prisoners had been suspended, without providing further details.

The ceasefire agreement between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah is in new jeopardy Sunday as various groups slow walk responsibilities under the deal.

An agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas that involves the release of additional hostages and the return of Palestinians to the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

Thursday’s prisoner-for-hostage swap marked the third round of exchanges as a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas entered its second week.

Over six weeks, Hamas is to free 33 Israeli hostages — roughly one third of those held– in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. As part of the truce, Israel has also pulled its forces back from major cities and allowed hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to their homes in war-torn Gaza.

In the ceasefire’s first phase, Israel and Hamas have agreed that 33 Israeli hostages in Gaza will be released in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.