More Israeli hostages expected to be released on third day of truce
7292 Mins Read
The truce between Israel and Hamas is in its third day and more Israeli hostages are expected to be released today.
There were a few anxious hours last night when the released of the second group of hostages was delayed.
Eventually another 13 Israelis who had been taken hostage during the attacks on 7 October were freed. They are all women, teenagers and young children.
Four Thai nationals were also released as part of a separate deal between Hamas and the Egyptian government.
39 Palestinian prisoners were also freed from Israeli jails.
Israel said last night it received the list of a third group of hostages set for release.
The deal between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Qatar, mandates the release of Palestinian prisoners to hostages at a ratio of three to one. More Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released today.
The timings of the exchange have not been released.
Meanwhile, more aid is expected to enter Gaza, as a humanitarian crisis continues and many hope for an extension of the truce. Gazans have been using the pause in fighting to get desperately-needed supplies of fuel, food and medicine.
As the truce between Israel and Hamas enters its third day, the exchange of hostages and prisoners saw the first wave of people returned to their respective territories.
Under the agreement, 50 hostages are to be released in stages in return for 150 Palestinian detainees held by Israel, during a temporary four-day pause in fighting.
On Saturday, 13 Israeli hostages and four Thai nationals, were released in exchange for 39 Palestinian prisoners.
It comes after 39 Palestinian prisoners were freed as part of the deal on Friday, the Israel Prison Service announced.
The group was made up of Palestinian women, and teenagers from three prisons – Damon, Megiddo, and Ofer – according to the prison service.
The teenagers had been jailed for minor offenses like throwing stones while the women included several convicted of trying to stab Israeli soldiers, and others who had been arrested at checkpoints in the West Bank.
Currently, there were 5,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including 160 children, and approximately 1,100 of them were detained without charge or trial, according to The Human Rights Council.
