The first set of hostages in Gaza and Israel have been
released under a truce brokered between the Jewish nation and Hamas, the
Palestinian militant group.
The truce had brought a temporary halt to fighting in Gaza
after weeks of conflict.
Although Hamas had released 24 persons held as captives, the
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that 13 Israeli hostages had returned on
Friday and underwent initial medical assessments.
The other freed prisoners include 10 Thais and one Filipino.
The hostages were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to
Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by eight staff
members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a four-car
convoy.
In return, 39 Palestinian women and children were released
from Israeli jails.
“We have just completed the return of the first batch of our
hostages. Children, their mothers and other women. Each and every one of them
is a world in itself,” Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister said.
“But I stress to you,
the families, and to you, citizens of Israel: We are committed to returning all
our hostages.”
Earlier, as part of the deal, the IDF said four tankers of
fuel and four tankers of cooking gas — designated for operating essential
humanitarian infrastructure — were transferred from Egypt to the United Nations
(UN) humanitarian aid organisations in southern Gaza, via the Rafah Crossing.
The deal will see at least 50 Israeli hostages released in
Gaza while 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails will also be
released over a period of four days.
Officials have hinted that the truce could be extended.
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