Israel releases 39 Palestinian prisoners in exchange as part of a deal providing for a four-day truce in Gaza.
The Palestinian armed group Hamas freed 24 hostages held captive in Gaza for nearly seven weeks and Israel freed 39 Palestinian prisoners, a few hours after a truce between Israel and Hamas negotiated by Qatar came into force.
Among the freed captives were 13 Israelis, 10 Thai nationals and one Filipino citizen, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, said Friday.
The ICRC in Israel and the Occupied Territories said it transported the group of captives from Gaza to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
“We are relieved to confirm the safe release of 24 hostages,” the ICRC wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The release of the 24 captives – out of some 240 taken hostage by Hamas during an attack on southern Israel on October 7 – comes after an agreement between Israel and Hamas, which included a four-day truce and a exchange of captives for Palestinians held in Israel. Israeli prisons came into force.
The Israeli captives were returning to Israeli territory where they would undergo medical examinations before being reunited with their families, the army said.
Among them were four children and six elderly women, according to a list published by the Israeli prime minister’s office.
“Our citizens underwent an initial medical examination and their families were informed by designated officials of their return,” the statement said.
In a video recording, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was committed to the return of all remaining prisoners.
Qatar said 39 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons had been released under the deal. Israel confirmed that 39 prisoners had been released.
Qadura Fares, who heads the NGO Palestinian Prisoners Club, said 33 prisoners released in the West Bank were handed over to an ICRC team. He said the other six were being released from a Jerusalem prison.
Israeli forces fired tear gas at a crowd of Palestinians who had gathered for the release of prisoners outside Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank.
Under the Qatar-brokered deal, Hamas will release 50 women and children, out of around 240 people captured by the group during its attack on southern Israel on October 7.
In exchange, Israel will release a total of 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons, whom Palestinians have long characterized as victims of an Israeli occupation that drags them into prisons without any pretense of due process.
Among the prisoners captured by Hamas on October 7 were Israeli soldiers and civilians, as well as people from dozens of foreign countries. In Israel and abroad, families of those held captive have pleaded for their release.
Qatar’s Al-Ansari said the 10 Thai nationals and the Filipino citizens were released outside the framework of the truce agreement.
Earlier on Friday, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said 12 Thai nationals in Gaza had been released.
“It has been confirmed by the security services and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that 12 Thai hostages have already been released,” he posted on X.
According to the Thai Foreign Ministry, around 30,000 Thais were employed in Israel, mainly in the country’s agricultural sector, at the time of the attack, in which at least 32 Thai workers were killed. Thais seeking work abroad often come to Israel under an agreement where they receive a minimum wage of around $2,000 a month.