First Group Of Hostages Released From Gaza

The first group of hostages are being released from Gaza, more than six weeks after the October 7 attack.

In the past hour, the Red Cross has confirmed that two-dozen hostages have been moved from Gaza to the Rafah border, where they will soon be reunited with their families having been handed to Egyptian authorities. Qatari authorities said 13 Israelis were released, 10 Thais and one Filipino. The Thai hostages were freed as part of a separate deal.

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The hostage deal has come as fighting between Israel and Hamas has been paused for the first time since October 7, brokered by Qatar and ratified by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Around 50 Israeli hostages are set to be released over the next four days in exchange for a pause in fighting and the release of 150 Palestinian detainees during the temporary ceasefire. An X post by the Qatari foreign ministry spokesman said 39 Palestinians have been released today.

News footage is being beamed around the world of people cheering as Red Cross cars cross from Gaza into Egypt.

While the group is by far the biggest number of hostages to be released since October 7, they are not the first. A mother and daughter from Chicago were released after a fortnight, as was an 85-year-old Israeli woman.

Netanyahu has stressed that the ceasefire is only temporary and fighting will likely resume when the four days elapses. He has previously said Israel will not stop until Hamas is destroyed.

On October 7, Hamas killed around 1,400 people in Israel and kidnapped more than 200, shocking the world. Since then, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have mounted a sustained ground and bombing attack on Gaza, causing the mass evacuation of thousands. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says more than 14,000 people – including more than 5,000 children – have been killed. Most recently, the IDF has been attacking the al-Shifa hospital, which it says harbors a Hamas control base.

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