RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Friday released 24 hostages who had been held captive in Gaza for weeks, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison in the first stage of a swap under a four-day cease-fire deal.
The freed hostages included 13 Israelis, 10 people from Thailand and one from the Philippines, according to Qatar.
The freed Israeli hostages included eight women — six of them in their 70s and 80s — and three children.
FIRST HOSTAGES FREEDAfter nightfall Friday, a line of ambulances emerged from Gaza through the Rafah Crossing in Egypt, carrying the freed hostages, according to live footage on Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera TV.
Israel said the four-day truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.
Persons:
Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ” Shelli Shem Tov, Omer Shem Tov, I’m, Omer, Ofer, ”, Sofian Abu Amer, Majed al, Ansari, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, ___ Federman, Jeffery, Bassem Mroue, Julia Frankel
Organizations:
West Bank, Israel’s, Foreign Ministry, Qatar, Israeli’s, . Police, Palestinian Prisoners ’ Club, FIRE, Associated Press, Hezbollah, Israeli, Gaza Health Ministry, Women
Locations:
RAFAH, Gaza, Thailand, Philippines, Qatar, Israel, Rafah, Egypt, Egyptian, Tel Aviv, Thai, U.N, Northern Gaza, Gaza City, Lebanon, United States, Jerusalem, Cairo, Beirut, israel