AMY GOODMAN: The ceasefire in Gaza has entered its second day. On Sunday, Hamas released three Israeli women who had been held captive for 471 days, since October 7th, 2023. All three were reported in stable condition as they reunited with their families. Israel released 90 Palestinian prisoners — all women and children, the youngest being 15 years old. Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, Hamas will release 30 more Israeli captives, and Israel will release 1,890 Palestinians over the next six weeks.

This comes as thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza have begun trying to return home now that Israel’s 15-month bombing campaign has ended. Amal Abu Eita returned to her home in the Jabaliya refugee camp to find nothing but rubble.

AMAL ABU EITA: [translated] We will try to close this door and stay here. Where should we go? Where should we go? Our home is gone. Our situation is destroyed. Where can we go? Ten children, where should I go with them in the tents? Where should I go with them on the streets? We are trying to find a piece to shelter in. What is our situation? The same as all Arabs. This is what eases our pain a little, knowing that our situation is like that of the rest of the Arabs.

AMY GOODMAN: The ceasefire went into effect Sunday after Israel’s Cabinet approved the deal. Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, resigned from Netanyahu’s Cabinet in protest.

On Saturday, Netanyahu said Israel reserves the right to resume attacks on Gaza.

PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU: [translated] Both President Trump and President Biden gave full backing to Israel’s right to return to fighting if Israel reaches the conclusion that negotiations of the second stage is fruitless. I appreciate it very much. … If we need to resume fighting, we will do that in new ways, and we will do it with great force.

AMY GOODMAN: Israel killed another 200 Palestinians after the ceasefire was first agreed on Wednesday.

For more, we’re joined by two guests. In Jerusalem, Gershon Baskin is with us, Middle East director of the International Communities Organization, a human rights advocacy group. He’s a longtime backchannel negotiator with Hamas in ceasefire deals. His memoir is titled In Pursuit of Peace in Israel and Palestine. And in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank, we’re joined by Tala Nasir. She is a lawyer with the Palestinian prisoner and human rights organization Addameer.

We welcome you both to Democracy Now! Tala, let’s begin with you. If you can talk about — we will talk with Gershon Baskin about who the Israelis are, the three women who were released this weekend. I want to start with you, asking about the 90 Palestinians and who they are, as you are a lawyer with the prisoners organization.

TALA NASIR: Yes. So, yesterday, Palestinian prisoners were supposed to be released after 3 p.m., but, unfortunately, the Israeli authorities delayed their release until 3 a.m. today. Ninety-two Palestinian prisoners were released, including 69 female prisoners. Two of them are child prisoners. Twenty of them are administrative detainees. Five of them were sentenced prisoners, and 44 were under trial. While they also released 23 child prisoners, most of them were under administrative detention, and some of them were under trial. And also, six of the released prisoners yesterday were actually previously released in the November '23 exchange deal, and then they were rearrested again. So, these are the Palestinians who were released yesterday. And, of course, we're waiting for the other phases or the other batches of the prisoners to be released.

AMY GOODMAN: And just for people to understand globally who don’t know the Israeli system, when you say they were held administratively, you were saying they were held without charge or trial.

TALA NASIR: Yes. They were actually held without any charges, without any trial. It’s based on a secret file that neither the detainee nor their lawyers know anything about the charges or the accusations and why they are arrested.

AMY GOODMAN: And overall, your feeling about the ceasefire, at least for these next 42 days?

TALA NASIR: We’re actually concerned of what will — what will actually going to happen in the next few weeks, because yesterday it was horrible. Families were actually waiting for long hours in front of Ofer Prison. They were assaulted. The Israeli occupation forces started bombing the families, started using sound bombs, gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition. There were lots of injuries at or in front of Ofer Prison. So, also, families were also assaulted in the occupied Jerusalem. There were summoned to al-Moscobiyeh by interrogation center. They were subjected to arbitrary conditions that prohibited gatherings and banned marches and fireworks and prevented them from chanting slogans.

So, the situation is still — we’re still concerned of the situation. We’re hoping that it will continue, the Israelis will continue to release prisoners. And, of course, we have no guarantees they will not be rearrested again, but we are hopeful that many other prisoners will be released, especially the ones who are serving life sentences.