IRIA News

As part of the ceasefire deal struck between Israel and Hamas to exchange Israeli hostages for imprisoned Palestinians, Hamas released the initial group of 24 hostage, including 13 Israelis, 10 Thai citizens, and 1 Filipino citizen. In exchange, Israel has freed 39 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails.

Qatar, which brokered the prisoner swap agreement and a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, said that the four-day truce commenced on November 24, 2023, Friday, at 7:00 a.m. local time. The spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Majed Al Ansari, confirmed that Hamas would release 13 of the approximately 240 Israeli hostages.

The International Committee of the Red Cross participated in day-long operation to facilitate the transfer of hostages. The Red Cross convoy entering the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt contained at least four vehicles with each including up to six people sitting. The humanitarian organization said in a statement that it “began carrying out a multi-day operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages held in Gaza and of Palestinian detainees to the West Bank.”

Red Cross said it would be bringing in additional medical supplies into Gaza as well. “Our deep desire is for all hostages to be released, and that civilians be shielded from the pain and suffering that armed conflict brings,” Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East, said.

Key Updates

• Hamas released 24 hostages including 13 Israelis, 10 Thai citizens and 1 Filipino citizen.
• 39 Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons have been released.
• Qatar was a key mediator in the hostage and prisoner release.
• Red Cross took part in a multi-day operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages held in Gaza and of Palestinian detainees to the West Bank.

Hamas releases 24 hostages on first day of truce

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that the Israeli hostages freed from Gaza are now in Israel. 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.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have released the names of the 13 hostages that have been released from Gaza.

The 13 Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity: Margalit Moses, Adina Moshe, Danielle Aloni and her daughter Emilia, Doron Asher and her daughters Raz and Aviv, Hanna Katzir, Keren Munder and her son Ohad, Ruti Munder, Yaffa Adar, and Hannah Perry pic.twitter.com/x7uiizXdAB

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) November 24, 2023

In a statement following the release of the first 13 Israeli hostages, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Israeli government has “completed the return of the first of our hostage.” But he stressed that his government is “committed to the return of all our abductees,” calling it “one of the goals of the war.”

In addition to Israeli citizens, more than half the hostages held foreign and dual citizenship from some 40 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Thailand, France, Argentina, Germany, Chile, Spain and Portugal.

Nationalities of hostages released by Hamas

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, provided a detailed breakdown of the nationalities of the 24 released hostages. Among them are 13 Israeli citizens, some with dual citizenship, along with 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino citizen, Al-Ansari shared on social media platform X.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said Friday morning that 12 Thai hostages have been released from Gaza via the Rafah border crossing and are safely in Israel’s custody in the first exchange of prisoners since a four-day truce began Friday. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said the released Thai hostages would be transported to the processing point at Hatzerim Air Force Base and will be taken to Shamir Medical Center and meet with embassy officials.

There was no initial explanation for the difference in the total number of freed Thai nationals as shared by Thai government and Qatari foreign ministry.

39 women and children released from Israeli jails

Qatar says 39 women and children released from Israeli jails Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson also confirmed the release of 39 women and children detained in Israeli prisons.

كما نؤكد الإفراج عن ٣٩ من النساء والأطفال المحتجزين في السجون الإسرائيلية تطبيقا لالتزامات اليوم الأول من الاتفاق.

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) November 24, 2023

The agreement between Israel and Hamas is for the release of 50 Israeli captives in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons over the course of the four-day ceasefire. Those released will be mainly women and children.

According to Palestinian prisoner rights’ groups, there are an estimated 7,000 Palestinians currently jailed in Israel, including over 200 Palestinian children and about 75 women, with dozens arrested in the past few weeks alone.

During the truce, Israel also agreed to allow the delivery of 130,000 liters (34,340 gallons) of fuel per day — only a small portion of Gaza’s estimated daily needs of more than 1 million liters.

‘War has not ended yet’

As the four-day truce began, large numbers of displaced Palestinians were attempting to return home in northern Gaza. But Israel issued a warning not to return, saying the “the war has not ended yet.” On Friday, Israeli troops fatally shot two Palestinians and wounded 11 others as they headed toward northern Gaza, AP reported.

Northern Gaza has been the focus on Israel’s ground assault. Many of Gaza’s 2.3 million people, who are crowded into the southern portion of the territory, are risking lives heading north to check on their families and homes. “We don’t have enough clothes, food and drinks,” he said. “The situation is disastrous. It’s better for a person to die,” said Sofian Abu Amer, who had to flee Gaza City.

Israel declared war against Hamas after the Islamic militant group killed at least 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 others in a surprise October 7 attack. In retaliation, Israel launched heavy and continuous bombardment in Gaza, causing widespread damage and killing thousands of Palestinians and displacing half a million from their homes.

Weeks of Israeli bombardment have killed more than 13,000 Palestinians. This is more than the number of civilians killed in 18 months of war in Ukraine.