Some of the hostages released on Friday: (from left) Keren Munder and her son Ohad, Yaffa Adar and Daniel Aloni and her daughter Emilia.
Hostage at home in Israel - two-year-old among those released
The freed hostages are back on Israeli soil after seven weeks in captivity in Gaza, AP reports.
A total of 13 Israelis have been released, four of whom are children between the ages of two and nine and six are women over 70, according to Israeli authorities. All were kidnapped in connection with Hamas' bloody attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz, writes Haaretz.
According to the Israeli military, the people have been examined by medics and appear to be in good health, writes the BBC. They will soon be reunited with their families.
Hamas has agreed to release a total of 50 of the 240 people said to have been taken hostage.
- Each of them is a whole world. Bringing the kidnapped home is one of the aims of the war. We are determined to ensure the return of all hostages, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In addition to the 13 Israeli women and children, 10 Thais and a Filipino national held hostage have been released on Friday, mediator Qatar said.
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Qatar: Israel has released 39 Palestinian women and children
39 Palestinian women and children who were imprisoned in Israel have been released, states the mediating country Qatar according to Reuters.
The announcement comes shortly after Hamas released 13 Israeli hostages and about ten Thai citizens.
In the West Bank, hundreds of Palestinians are waiting to welcome the released prisoners, writes Sky News correspondent Dominic Waghorn. He describes the atmosphere at the site as tense. Palestinian youths have thrown rocks at Israeli military, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades, according to Waghorn.
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The Red Cross confirms: Hamas has released the first 24 hostages from Gaza
The Red Cross confirms that 24 hostages have been released by Hamas. According to Israeli media, 13 Israeli women and children have been taken to Egypt by ambulances under the supervision of the Red Cross and handed over to the Israeli military.
- The deep pain that family members who have been separated from their loved ones feel is indescribable. We are relieved that some will be reunited now, says Fabrizio Carboni, Red Cross regional director for the Middle East.
Hamas has agreed to release a total of 50 Israeli hostages during the four-day ceasefire that began today. Israel, in turn, is to release 150 Palestinian prisoners, of which the first 39 were released on Friday.
In addition, several Thai workers - according to various sources eleven or twelve - have been released after being held hostage by Hamas.
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