By Palestinian militant group Hamas, Israel has received a list of hostages to be freed from Gaza on Saturday, officials said. This is followed by the release of 24 hostages on Friday, the first of a planned four-day truce.
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that Israeli security officials were reviewing the list. Netanyahu’s government vowed to work for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas in an attack on Israel on October 7.
The truce in the war was the first such break, with both sides saying hostilities would resume as soon as the pause ends. However, President of the USA Joe Biden expressed hope the pause could be extended.
The released hostages were taken from war-torn Gaza and handed to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing. For medical checks and reunions with relatives, they were then taken to Israel.
Qatar said 13 Israelis had been released, some with dual nationality, as well as 10 Thais and a Philippine national – farm workers employed in southern Israel when they were seized. Qatar acted as a mediator for the truce deal.
From Israeli jails, thirty-nine Palestinian women and children detainees were released. The freed Israeli hostages included four children accompanied by four family members and five elderly women.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said 196 trucks of humanitarian aid carried food, water, and medical supplies through the Rafah crossing on Friday, the biggest such convoy into Gaza since Hamas’ attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of the region.
Since October 21, it added, nearly 1,759 trucks have entered the narrow enclave.
(With inputs from Reuters)