Israel and Hamas swapped 41 Israelis and foreigners for 78 Palestinians from Israeli jails in two batches during the first two days of a four-day humanitarian pause. The truce between Israel and Hamas enters a third day on November 26, 2023.
The hostages and prisoners will be released in two batches during the course of four days under the swap deal and truce mediated by Qatar and Egypt and agreed by Israel, Hamas and the United States.
Under the deal, 50 Israeli hostages, mostly women and children, are to be freed by Hamas over four days, in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Key Updates
- Hamas released 41 Israelis and foreigners including Thai and Filipino citizens during the first two days of the four-day truce.
- Israel freed 78 Palestinians from Israeli jails in exchange for hostages.
- Qatar helped negotiate the 4-day truce and exchange agreement between the two sides.
Day 2: 17 hostages freed by Hamas and 39 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel
On Saturday (November 25), a second group of 17 Israeli hostages and foreign nationals were handed over by the Hamas militant group to the Red Cross and brought out of Gaza into Egypt after hours of delay.
The hostages released on second day included 13 Israelis and four Thailand citizens. Six of the 13 Israelis released were women and seven were children and teenagers. “The released hostages are on their way to hospitals in Israel, where they will reunite with their families,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister’s office said that they have also received a list of hostages due to be released on Sunday and “security officials are checking the list”. The recovery of hostages is an urgent priority for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s shaky government.
Day 1: 17 hostages freed by Hamas and 39 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel
On Friday, Hamas released 24 hostages and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison in the first stage of a swap under a four-day ceasefire. The released batch of hostages included 13 Israeli women and children and 10 Thai nationals and one from the Philippines.
Israel released 39 Palestinians, six women and 33 minors, from two prisons, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said.
There are an estimated 7,000 Palestinians, including women and children, currently jailed in Israel, including over 200 Palestinian children and about 75 women, according to Palestinian prisoner rights’ groups.
Truce brings glimmer of hope and peace
In Gaza, Friday morning brought a small glimmer of relief on both sides. For the 2.3 million Palestinians, this was a day when no explosions or gunshots could be heard.
However short-lived it may be, the temporary ceasefire is a respite for Gazans. “We are enjoying the smell of freedom for the first time in almost 50 days,” says Karim, a resident of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip.
“My children are very, very happy,” says Doaa Ulyan, one of the 1.7 million Gazans taking refuge in the southern region of the Palestinian enclave. The children “think the war is over and have asked me when we can go home. We have not yet told them that we no longer have a home to return to,” she says.
Gaza Strip continues to face relentless Israeli bombardment that has killed thousands, and forced three-quarters of the population from their homes and leveled residential areas. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel went silent as well. However, Israel has vowed to resume its massive offensive once the truce ends.
Qatar hopes to extend truce beyond four days
Qatar is hoping to extend the truce between Israel and Hamas beyond the agreed upon four days. Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari expressed hope that “the momentum that has carried from the releases of these two days and from this agreement of four days will allow us to extend the truce beyond these four days.”
The ministry spokesperson also said Qatar is working with partners in Egypt, the United States, and both parties of the conflict to ensure the agreed amount of aid trucks are allowed into Gaza.
61 trucks deliver aid to northern Gaza
At least 61 trucks delivered food, water, and emergency medical supplies to northern Gaza on Saturday, according to the United Nations. This is the largest number of trucks to reach the north since the October 7 attacks.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said it received 187 trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent on Saturday and dispatched the largest aid convoy to Gaza City and the northern parts of the strip since Hamas’ October 7 attacks in Israel.
Hamas militants infiltrated Israel on October. 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting about 240 hostages. In retaliation, Israel has unleashed its military might on the small and crowded Gaza Strip after the attack, killing at least 15,000 Palestinians.
