A four-day cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war began Friday in Gaza as part of an agreement that Qatar helped broker. Thirteen Israeli hostages were released, according to Israeli media, and 12 Thai hostages were also freed. The deal includes the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
With the truce deal comes increased shipments of fuel and supplies into Gaza — though still only enough to dent the needs of the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, according to aid groups. Israel has agreed to allow the delivery of 130,000 liters (34,300 gallons) of fuel a day into besieged Gaza for humanitarian needs for the duration of the truce.
More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza after a dayslong pause in its casualty report, which it attributed to the health system’s collapse in northern Gaza making it impossible to provide a detailed count.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will press ahead with the war after the cease-fire expires. Some 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial incursion by Hamas.
BANGKOK — Twelve Thai nationals were released from Gaza on Friday, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
It said the 12 hostages have passed through the Rafah crossing and are on the way to Israel’s Hatzerim air base, and will then be taken to a hospital.
The ministry says 39 Thai citizens were killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel and 26 were taken hostage.
Egypt’s state information service said the 12 Thais is in addition to 13 Israeli captives who are to be freed Friday..
Under a deal negotiated by Qatar, 50 hostages are set to be freed during a four-day truce
Israel is set to free 150 Palestinians over the next four days as part of the deal. Thirty-nine prisoners are to be freed Friday.
RED CROSS HELPING REUNITE HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS
GENEVA — The Red Cross says it has begun a “multi-day operation” to reunite hostages and detainees on both sides of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
The group’s announcement came as Israeli media reported the Hamas militant group on Friday released the first batch of hostages under a cease-fire deal. The deal calls for 50 hostages to be freed over a four-day truce, with Israel to free 150 Palestinians in prison.
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it will also be ferrying in medical supplies for hospitals in Gaza.
The Geneva-based humanitarian organization said Friday it had no role in the negotiations and that the parties in the conflict agreed to the details of the operation, including who will be released and when.
“Our deep desire is for all hostages to be released, and that civilians be shielded from the pain and suffering that armed conflict brings,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the organization’s regional director for the Near and Middle East.
THOUSANDS OF ISRAELIS GATHER TO RECEIVE NEWS OF HOSTAGE RELEASE
JERUSALEM — Thousands of Israelis gathered in what has been dubbed “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv on Friday evening, singing songs to welcome the Jewish Sabbath and watching newscasts on large screens as they waited to receive news of the release of 13 Israeli hostages slated to be freed.
“My emotions are mixed,” Shelli Shem Tov, the mother of 21-year-old hostage Omer Shem Tov, told Israeli’s Channel 12 at the square. “I’m excited for the families that are going to hug their loved ones, I’m jealous, and I’m sad, mostly sad, that Omer is not coming home yet.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will monitor the hostage release from the Kirya in Tel Aviv, along with several close aides, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
ISRAEL’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS IT WILL RESUME WAR AFTER TRUCE ENDS
JERUSALEM — Israel’s foreign minister said Friday that Israel will resume the war against Hamas after a temporary cease-fire ends.
A truce in the Israel-Hamas war began Friday, setting the stage for the release of 50 hostages held by militants in Gaza in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The releases are to take place in stages over four days.
The truce could be extended by a day for each additional release of 10 more hostages — an arrangement that could translate into a longer cease-fire. In all, militants from Hamas and other groups kidnapped about 240 people in their Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Israeli leaders have pledged that the war will resume.
“Israel will continue its war on Hamas and we will not stop until we achieve our two main goals, overthrowing the rule of Hamas and returning all the abductees back to us, safe and sound,” Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said Friday as he toured Israel’s ravaged border areas with his counterparts from Portugal and Slovenia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant have made similar pledges.
However, the government is under intense public pressure to bring all hostages home, which might make a resumption of the war exceedingly difficult.
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITIES RELEASE LIST OF 39 PRISONERS EXPECTED TO BE FREED FRIDAY
JERUSALEM — Palestinian authorities have released a list of 39 Palestinian prisoners expected to be released on Friday, including 24 women and 15 teenage boys, in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
The swap is part of a four-day truce in the Israel-Hamas war. The truce began Friday after seven weeks of war.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, an advocacy group, said the 39 detainees from the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem will be delivered to the International Committee of the Red Cross at Israel’s Ofer Prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Their release is to take place after 4 p.m. local time (1400 GMT), when Hamas is due to return the 13 Israeli hostages to Israel.
Most of the 15 Palestinian teenagers to be released Friday were arrested over incitement and stone-throwing, as well as the broadly defined charge of “supporting terrorism.” The 24 women include some convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to yearslong prison terms for attacks against Israeli security forces.
Israel currently holds 7,200 Palestinians charged with or convicted of security offenses, the Prisoners’ Club said.
It said about 2,000 Palestinians were arrested since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel that triggered the war.
ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES FIRE TEAR GAS AT PALESTINIANS WAITING TO GREET PRISONERS
BEITOUNIA, West Bank — Israeli security forces fired tear gas at a crowd of Palestinians gathered to greet prisoners who were to be released from Israeli jails as part of a truce between Israel and Hamas, AP journalists in the West Bank witnessed.
Tear gas was fired to push away crowds from the vicinity of Ofer prison, from where the prisoners were to be released later on Friday.
Palestinian authorities have released a list of 39 Palestinian prisoners expected to be released on Friday, including 24 women and 15 teenage boys, in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
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Israel and Hamas Begin Cease-Fire, Setting Stage for Release of Some Hostages and More Aid to Gaza
