13 Israeli hostages have finally been released after 48 days in captivity in Gaza along with a group of Thai and Filipino nationals as part of a truce deal between Israel and Hamas that went into effect Friday, November 24.
Thirteen Israeli women and children and 11 Thai and Filipino hostages were among the people who were kidnapped and taken by the terror group in its October 7 attack on Israel.
Israeli media reported the hostages had been transferred by Hamas to the Red Cross, then on to the Egyptians, before crossing into Egypt.
Qatar’s foreign ministry said tonight that ten Thai prisoners and one Filipino citizen have been released, alongside the 13 Israeli prisoners, who are now back in Israel and will soon be reunited with their families, the IDF confirmed.
Going the other way were 39 Palestinian prisoners – 24 women and 15 teenagers – who have been released by Israel as part of the deal that paused the fighting in the Gaza Strip for the first time in seven weeks which was sparked by Hamas’s attack, Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed.
Some 30 children are currently believed to be among the 240 captives who were taken into Gaza by Hamas.
Pictures of the first Red Cross carrying hostages appear to show several elderly people being taken to be treated.
The IDF has since said: “The released hostages underwent an initial medical assessment inside Israeli territory.
“They will continue to be accompanied by IDF soldiers as they make their way to Israeli hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families.”
