The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that it facilitated the release of 33 Palestinian prisoners from an Israeli prison to the West Bank as part of the Israel-Hamas four-day truce.
Notably, Hamas has agreed to release some 50 hostages, which include women and children over the four days of the truce with Israel. The released hostages are only a small group out of some 240 people held hostage by Hamas terrorists since October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israe
The release of 13 hostages, mother and children, is the first of four expected stages. Notably, Hamas has agreed to release some 50 hostages, which include women and children over the four days of the truce with Israel.
The hostage-and-truce agreement, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, follows the abduction of 240 people by Hamas and other terror groups on October 7 during a violent rampage in southern Israel, resulting in the death of 1,200 people, mostly civilians.
A four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas will begin on Friday morning, with civilian hostages and Palestinian prisoners set to be freed later in the afternoon, Qatar announced on Thursday, according to CNN.
The Israel Defense Forces has expressed confidence in its ability to preserve its operational achievements in the northern Gaza Strip, including Gaza City, during a truce with Hamas, designed to facilitate a hostage release deal.
Israeli military forces continued striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning ahead of an imminent ceasefire. Although Israel agreed to a temporary ceasefire and partial prisoner exchange on Wednesday morning, details are still being finalized.
In a major announcement, a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the highly anticipated release of the first group of 50 Israeli hostages held by Hamas as part of a hostage deal would not take place on Thursday, as previously announced, but only on Friday, Times of Israel rep
In a post on X, Macron expressed his commitment to tirelessly working towards the release of all hostages while underscoring the significance of the declared truce in providing much-needed aid and rescuing civilians in Gaza.
The BRICS group of nations on Tuesday called for an "immediate" and "sustained" humanitarian truce in Gaza while expressing their deep concern at the dire humanitarian situation.