DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli media say the Hamas militant group has released the first batch of hostages under a cease-fire deal Friday, including 13 Israelis who have been held in the Gaza Strip for nearly seven weeks.
The media cited Israeli security officials.
Israeli soldiers stand on Salah al-Din road in central Gaza Strip on Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, as the temporary ceasefire went into effect. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
Twelve Thai nationals were also released, according to Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
In all, 50 captives are set to be freed during a four-day truce.
Israel is set to free 150 Palestinians over the next four days, as part of the deal. Thirty-nine prisoners are to be freed Friday.
A four-day cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war began Friday in Gaza as part of an agreement that Qatar helped broker. The deal also includes the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, which was to begin later Friday. Separately, 12 Thai hostages were freed from Gaza and taken to Israel.
With the truce deal comes increased shipments of fuel and supplies into Gaza — though still only enough to dent the needs of the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, according to aid groups. Israel has agreed to allow the delivery of 130,000 liters (34,300 gallons) of fuel a day into besieged Gaza for humanitarian needs for the duration of the truce.
More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza after a dayslong pause in its casualty report, which it attributed to the health system’s collapse in northern Gaza making it impossible to provide a detailed count.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will press ahead with the war after the cease-fire expires. Some 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial incursion by Hamas.
Currently:
— A four-day truce begins, setting the stage for the release of dozens of hostages.
— Families of hostages not slated for release from Gaza during current truce face enduring nightmare.
— Palestinians in Gaza seeking refuge from war find their world is shrinking.
— Hezbollah fires rockets at north Israel after an airstrike kills 5 of the group’s senior fighters.
— Thousands led by Cuba’s president march in solidarity with Palestinians.
— Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
