14 Israeli hostages and three foreigners released

Among those released is a 4-year-old girl with American citizenship whose parents were killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli Armed Forces reported this Sunday that the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) 14 Israelis and three foreigners who were being held in the Gaza Strip. Israel will release 39 Palestinian prisoners in return.

"The kidnapped, 14 Israeli citizens and three foreign citizens, have been handed over to the Red Cross, according to the information provided by it," indicated a military spokesperson, according to the Armed Forces in their official communication channels.

Four of the hostages - one Israeli and three Thais - have left the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing, towards Egyptian territory, from where they will enter Israeli soil. Twelve other hostages have been handed over by the ICRC in the center of the Gaza Strip and are already traveling in jeeps towards the Hatzerim air base, in southern Israel. The last hostage has been transferred directly to Soroka Hospital.

Among the freed hostages are two US citizens, including 4-year-old girl Avigail Idan, whose parents were killed in the Hamas attack on October 7, US President Joe Biden has revealed. A 45-year-old woman has also been released.

Biden has highlighted that they are working to extend the truce beyond Monday to facilitate the release of more hostages and the entry of more humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

In response to this release, Israel will release 39 Palestinian civilians, as confirmed shortly after the Israeli announcement by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Mayed al Ansari, on his account on X, formerly Twitter.

"In compliance with the commitments of the third day of the humanitarian truce agreement, 39 Palestinian civilians will be released in exchange for the release of thirteen Israeli civilians from Gaza, as well as one Russian citizen and three Thais who have already been handed over to the ICRC," he said. explained Al Ansari.

These releases occur in accordance with what was agreed within the four-day truce that provides for the release of hostages daily in exchange for the release of three Palestinian prisoners for each kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.

The release of the hostages from the Gaza Strip has taken place without major incidents after Saturday's release occurred late at night and after Israel threatened to resume the military offensive if the releases did not take place before midnight .