Hamas releases 24 hostages on first day of truce with Israel

The first set of hostages in Gaza and Israel have been released under a truce brokered between the Jewish nation and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group.

The truce had brought a temporary halt to fighting in Gaza after weeks of conflict.

Although Hamas had released 24 persons held as captives, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that 13 Israeli hostages had returned on Friday and underwent initial medical assessments.

The other freed prisoners include 10 Thais and one Filipino.

The hostages were transferred out of Gaza and handed over to Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border crossing, accompanied by eight staff members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a four-car convoy.

In return, 39 Palestinian women and children were released from Israeli jails.

“We have just completed the return of the first batch of our hostages. Children, their mothers and other women. Each and every one of them is a world in itself,” Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister said.

“But I stress to you, the families, and to you, citizens of Israel: We are committed to returning all our hostages.”

Earlier, as part of the deal, the IDF said four tankers of fuel and four tankers of cooking gas — designated for operating essential humanitarian infrastructure — were transferred from Egypt to the United Nations (UN) humanitarian aid organisations in southern Gaza, via the Rafah Crossing.

The deal will see at least 50 Israeli hostages released in Gaza while 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails will also be released over a period of four days.

Officials have hinted that the truce could be extended.