Following a Delay, Hamas Releases 17 More Hostages: All the Details.
Families of hostages and their supporters participate in the ‘50 Days of Hell’ rally in support of the hostages that are still being held by Hamas, as another 17 captives have been released from Gaza during the temporary truce between Israel and the militant group.© Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty
Following a delay, a second batch of hostages held in the Gaza Strip were freed by Hamas on Saturday night as part of an agreement to end hostilities with Israel, a source told Newsweek.
The Palestinian terrorist organization first delayed the exchange for several hours, saying that Israel had broken the terms of the temporary truce pact. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that the hostages were freed, according to the Associated Press.
17 captives were moved to Israel on Saturday night, the Israeli Defense Forces revealed to Newsweek. There, they would be brought to hospitals for observation and reunited with their families. Israel is expected to release 39 Palestinians later on Saturday as part of the agreement, the AP reports.
In a surprise strike on southern Israel on October 7, Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and took about 240 captives. Following that, Israel carried out its most intense bombings on Gaza, which have resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 Palestinians, according to the AP, which cited the Health Ministry headed by Hamas.
In exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children being detained in Israeli jails and increased humanitarian supplies, the agreement calling for the release of the hostages should see the release of at least 50 prisoners during a four-day ceasefire.
24 women and children, including 13 Israelis, 10 Thai nationals, and a Filipino national, were freed by Hamas on Friday. Neither of the captive releases contained any Americans.
A senior White House official told NBC News on Friday that while they didn't anticipate any American captives being freed in the first round, they did hope that some may be in the coming days.
"We do not expect Americans to be among the first group released today but remain hopeful that there will be Americans among the 50 released," added the official.
Along with stating that the agreement had been "reached by extensive U.S. diplomacy," President Joe Biden stated on Friday that he "will not stop" until all of the captives that Hamas was holding in Gaza were brought back to their homes.
Newsweek was informed earlier on Saturday by the IDF that Red Cross agents had moved the prisoners to Egypt. 13 Israelis and four Thais are among the 17 hostages who were freed, according to information obtained by the IDF and provided to Newsweek. The caravan of rescued hostages passed via Egypt and arrived at Kerem Shalom in Israel, where security personnel confirmed the identity of the liberated individuals.
An IDF official told Newsweek, "IDF representatives are updating the families of the hostages with the latest available information."
The hostages, who were freed on Saturday, have undergone a preliminary inspection and are formally back in Israel with the Shin Bet and IDF, a source further confirmed to Newsweek.
The identities and ages of the 13 Israeli hostages that were liberated are already back in Israel, a source told Newsweek on Saturday.
- Noam Or, sixteen
- Alma Or, 13
- Shiri Weiss, fifty-three
- Noga Weiss, eighteen
-52-year-old Sharon Hertzman Avigdori
- 12 Noam Avigdori
- Shoshan Haran, sixty-seven
- Adi Shoham, age 38
- Neve Shoham, age eight
- Yahal Shoham, 3
- Shoshani, Hila Rotem, 12
- Emily Toni Kornberg, age eight
- Maya Regev, age 21
According to a source who spoke to Newsweek, twelve of the Israeli hostages who were set free on Saturday are being brought to the Sheba Medical Center in central Israel to meet with their relatives. Maya Regev is not thought to be in a life-threatening situation, but she is being brought to Beersheba's Soroka Hospital to undergo emergency medical assistance for injuries. According to the AP, Regev and her brother were present at the Nova music festival close to Kibbutz Be'eri on October 7, the day of the Hamas attack.
