The first 24 hostages were released today by Hamas after 49 days of captivity, creating new records in Israel-Hamas war after the ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages.

Thirteen Israeli hostages – including 4 children and 6 elderly women were freed by Hamas today and have arrived in Israel and are being flown by helicopter and by road to hospitals to undergo tests before being reunited with their families. At the same time 39 Palestinians – 24 women and 15 children, held in Israeli prisons – were freed in a prisoner exchange, sparking celebrations in the West Bank. Meanwhile, 11 Thai hostages were released in a separate deal.

“The Israeli Army, Israeli security forces and health care are ready to continue accepting additional hostages in accordance with the agreement, in parallel with the preparation of the Israeli Army to continue operating in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF points out in its statement as the in the coming days, the exchange of hostages is expected to continue, although as the IDF warns, the implementation of the agreement will be complicated and “nothing is over until it’s over.”

“The days ahead will be complicated, nothing is over until it’s over. We should be prepared,” Israel Defense Forces spokesman Vice Admiral Daniel Hagari said Friday, stressing that the 24 hostages freed from Gaza, including 13 Israeli citizens, was “a great relief” but “our hearts are with the hostages still being held in Gaza.”

It is recalled that the agreement between the two sides provides for the release of at least 50 hostages in exchange for 150 prisoners over a period of 4 days.

hostages

The 13 Israeli hostages released earlier today by Hamas were identified as:

Asher Family:
Doron Katz-Asher (34)
Raz Asher (4)
Aviv Asher (2)

Aloni Family:
Danielle Aloni (45)
Emilia Aloni (5)

Munder Family:
Ruth Munder (78)
Keren Munder (54)
Ohad Munder (9)

-Adina Moshe (72)
-Chana Katzir (76)
-Margalit Mozes (77)
-Chana Peri (79)
-Yaffa Adar (85)

The moments that unfolded during the release of the hostages were shocking as their relatives anxiously await the moment when they will hug their loved ones again. Relatives of the hostages could not hide their joy, breaking into celebrations.

hostages

The Israeli government had set up special areas since the morning, which would be the first stop for the hostages with clothes, food and toys for the small children.

The moment the freed Hamas hostages enter Israeli territory

“We pledge to return all hostages”

“We are committed to returning all hostages. This is one of the goals of the war and we are committed to achieving all the goals of the war,” said the Israeli prime minister, immediately after the release of the 24 hostages.

“We have just completed the return of the first hostages: the children, their mothers and additional women. Each one of them is a whole world,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after the release of the hostages from Hamas, adding:

“But I emphasize to you, the families, and to you, the citizens of Israel: we are committed to returning all hostages. This is one of the aims of the war and we are committed to achieving all the aims of the war” he concluded.

The US president, Joe Biden, made the same promise without his statements

Today was the product of “a lot of hard work and weeks of personal commitment,” he said, adding that he and his teams have been working “around the clock” to secure the release of the hostages since they were first captured.

“We expect more hostages to be released tomorrow. And more the next day, and more the day after that. In the coming days we expect dozens of hostages to be returned to their families,” he stressed, adding that he “will not stop” until all remaining hostages in Gaza come home.

Celebrations in the West Bank for the 39 Palestinians

At the same time, celebrations began in the West Bank after the release of 39 Palestinian women and children prisoners from Israeli prisons.

A total of 39 Palestinian prisoners – 24 women, including some convicted of attempted murder and attacks on Israeli forces, and 15 teenagers jailed for offenses such as throwing stones – were released by Israel tonight. Some had not seen their families for many years.

On at least three occasions, before Palestinian prisoners were freed, Israeli police raided their families’ homes in Jerusalem, Reuters reported, citing witnesses.

137 trucks were carrying humanitarian aid

At the same time, the cease-fire that came into effect today in the Gaza Strip allowed the UN to “increase” the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave. In total, 137 trucks have already delivered their cargo to the reception point run by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNRWA/OCHA), which welcomes the operation, according to a statement.

The delivery is “the largest humanitarian aid convoy” since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, OCHA added. It states that 129,000 liters of fuel also crossed the border into the Gaza Strip and that 21 critically ill patients were evacuated from the northern part of the Palestinian enclave.