Hamas released three young Israeli women hostages on Jan. 20. In exchange, Israel released 90 Palestinians, primarily women and young people, the latter held in Israeli prisons without charge for up to six months — a practice called “administrative detention.”

The dual sets of releases mark the first steps in the Israeli ceasefire agreement with Hamas, part of the first of three phases that would end 15 months of war.

The first phase, which will lead to the release of an additional 30 Israeli hostages and approximately 1,700 Palestinians, is meant to be completed in six weeks.

Negotiations for the second phase — involving the return of all hostages, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and an end to the war — are slated to begin two weeks after the initial hostage and prisoner release. The third phase involves the reconstruction of Gaza.

As former President Joe Biden indicated the same day while the hostages were returning to Israel, the ceasefire and initial hostage and prisoner releases offer hope for an end the hostilities between the Jewish State and its terrorist enemy.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the latest effort to end the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked an Israeli music festival, has received widespread coverage throughout the world.

Yet there was another group of prisoners, whose release was timed with the first phase of the Israeli-Hamas agreement, that has received far less attention.

On Jan. 16, just two days before the first sets of hostage and prisoner releases, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz

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