The 13 Israeli hostages released by Hamas fighters included sisters aged 2 and 4 and their mother, a 5-year-old girl and her mother, as well as elderly women.
As well as the Israeli hostages, 10 Thais and one Filipino, who were taken captive at the same time, were also freed under a separate agreement, Qatari mediators said.
The rest of a group of at least 50 Israeli hostages due to be exchanged under a Qatari-brokered agreement are expected to be freed in the coming days and more hostages could be added if the truce deal is extended.
MIXED EMOTIONSFor the families of the hostages, there was happiness mingled with concern for those who remained in Gaza.
That's a human thing," said Yoni Katz Asher, whose wife Doron and children Raz and Aviv were freed on Friday.
Persons:
Munder, Gilat Livni, Livni, Roni Haviv, Keren, Ruth, Avraham Munder, Yosef Mendelovich, Benjamin Netanyahu, it's, Yoni Katz Asher, Doron, Raz, Shelly Shem Tov, Omer Shem Tov, Omer, Maayan Lubell, Ari Rabinovitch, Henriette Chacar, Eli Berlzon, James Mackenzie, Alexandra Hudson, Hugh Lawson, Daniel Wallis, Mark Potter
Organizations:
Schneider Children's Medical, Pediatrics, Hamas, Red Cross, Qatari, Israel's, Thomson
Locations:
PETAH TIKVA, Gaza, Israel, Petah Tikva, Aviv