(Dan Tri) – Hamas forces released 24 hostages, while Israel also freed 39 Palestinian women and children after a ceasefire was implemented on November 24.
Hostages captured from Israel were handed over to the International Red Cross by Hamas militants on November 24 (Photo: Reuters).
Hamas militants released 24 hostages, including Israeli women, children and Thai farm workers, on November 24 on the first day of a ceasefire.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said the hostages were taken out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border gate, along with eight ICRC staff in four vehicles.
The hostages were released by Hamas after the ceasefire (Photo: Reuters).
Qatar, which brokered the ceasefire agreement, said 13 Israelis had been released, including some with dual nationality, along with 10 Thais and 1 Filipino.
Meanwhile, 39 detained Palestinian women and children have been released from Israeli prisons.
`We have just completed the return of the first batch of hostages. The children, the children’s mothers and other women have been released,` Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced.
`But I emphasize to you, to the families and to the citizens of Israel: We are committed to bringing all the hostages home,` Netanyahu added.
Hamas released 24 hostages on November 24 (Photo: Reuters).
The released Israeli hostages included four children accompanied by four family members and five other elderly women.
The Israeli military said the released hostages were medically examined inside Israel before being taken to hospital to reunite with their families.
Under the terms of a four-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, 50 hostages, including women and children, will be released in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children among the thousands detained.
Israel said the ceasefire could be extended if more hostages were released at a rate of 10 people per day.
A car carrying hostages at the Rafah border gate between Gaza and Egypt (Photo: Reuters).
A source said the release of the Thai workers, all men, was not linked to ceasefire negotiations and followed a separate path brokered by Egypt and Qatar.
Thai and Filipino farm workers working in southern Israel were among about 240 hostages taken by gunmen to Gaza, when Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel on October 7.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced on social networks that 12 Thai workers had been released, 2 more than the number given by Qatar.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said four of those released were German nationals.
`The ceasefire must last as long as possible to ensure that the people of Gaza receive important goods such as medicine, food, drinking water and aid,` the German Foreign Minister emphasized.
Israel – Hamas returned dozens of hostages on the first day of the ceasefire
US President Joe Biden said there was a real opportunity to extend the ceasefire and that the pause in fighting was an important opportunity to get humanitarian aid into Gaza.
On November 24, fighting between the Israeli army and Hamas militants paused for the first time in seven weeks.
No major bombings, artillery or rocket attacks were reported, although Hamas and Israel both accused each other of sporadic shootings and other ceasefire violations.
Both sides say the fighting will continue even after the ceasefire agreement ends.