Thirteen Israeli hostages released by Hamas, officials say

https://ft.com/content/1bae082b-f976--b24a-45bdbc5

Hamas has released 13 Israeli hostages and a group of Thai nationals who had been held in Gaza, according to two officials briefed on the situation, as the Palestinian militant group’s truce with the Jewish state took hold.

The hostages had been transferred to the Red Cross in Gaza, the officials said, in preparation for travelling to Egypt and then Israel.

Egyptian television showed images of a convoy of Red Cross vehicles it said held the group crossing towards Egypt’s territory on Friday afternoon. The Israelis were among those in the vehicles and had arrived on the Egyptian side, an Israeli official said.

Thailand’s foreign ministry said 12 of its nationals were among the hostages being released on Friday.

News of the ongoing release process followed the start of a four-day halt to hostilities between Israel and Hamas on Friday morning, the first since the Islamist group that runs the Gaza Strip triggered the war with a devastating attack on Israel on October 7.

The pause in fighting, brokered by Qatar, set the stage for the staggered release of 50 women and children held by Hamas and 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel.