The Red Cross says it has begun a “multi-day operation” to reunite hostages and detainees on both sides of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. The group’s announcement came as Israeli media reported the Hamas militant group on Friday released the first batch of hostages under a cease-fire deal. The deal calls for 50 hostages to be freed over a four-day truce, with Israel to free 150 Palestinians in prison.
Quick Read
- Red Cross “Multi-Day Operation”: The International Committee of the Red Cross has initiated a multi-day operation to reunite hostages and detainees on both sides of the conflict. They will also be ferrying in medical supplies to hospitals in Gaza.
- US Calls for Increased Aid to Gaza: Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, emphasized the urgent need for ramped-up humanitarian assistance to Gaza, highlighting the severe conditions faced by its population.
- Break in Conflict Extends to Iran-Backed Militias: Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, which have been attacking U.S. troops, observed a lull in hostilities on the first day of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
- Release of Israeli Hostages: Israeli media reports that Hamas has released the first group of Israeli hostages, including 13 individuals, under the ceasefire agreement.
- Gathering in Tel Aviv for Hostage Release News: Thousands in Tel Aviv congregated in “Hostages Square” to receive updates on the release of Israeli hostages, with mixed emotions among families of those not yet released.
- Release of Thai Nationals: Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the release of 12 Thai nationals from Gaza, bringing the total number of released hostages to include both Israelis and Thais.
- Tear Gas Fired at Palestinians in West Bank: Israeli security forces used tear gas to disperse Palestinians gathered to welcome prisoners due to be released from Israeli jails as part of the truce agreement.
- Palestinian Prisoner Release: Palestinian authorities announced the release of 39 Palestinian prisoners, including 24 women and 15 teenagers, as part of the exchange deal under the ceasefire.
The Associated Press has the story:
Israel-Hamas truce: 13 Israeli and 12 Thai hostages are reportedly released
A four-day cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war began Friday in Gaza as part of an agreement that Qatar helped broker. Thirteen Israeli hostages were released, according to Israeli media, and 12 Thai hostages were also freed. The deal includes the release of dozens of hostages held by militants and Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. With the truce deal comes increased shipments of fuel and supplies into Gaza — though still only enough to dent the needs of the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza who have endured weeks of Israeli bombardment, according to aid groups. Israel has agreed to allow the delivery of 130,000 liters (34,300 gallons) of fuel a day into besieged Gaza for humanitarian needs for the duration of the truce. More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza after a dayslong pause in its casualty report, which it attributed to the health system’s collapse in northern Gaza making it impossible to provide a detailed count. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will press ahead with the war after the cease-fire expires. Some 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during the initial incursion by Hamas.
Here’s what’s happening in the war:
RED CROSS HELPING REUNITE HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS
GENEVA — The Red Cross says it has begun a “multi-day operation” to reunite hostages and detainees on both sides of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.
The group’s announcement came as Israeli media reported the Hamas militant group on Friday released the first batch of hostages under a cease-fire deal. The deal calls for 50 hostages to be freed over a four-day truce, with Israel to free 150 Palestinians in prison.
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it will also be ferrying in medical supplies for hospitals in Gaza.
The Geneva-based humanitarian organization said Friday it had no role in the negotiations and that the parties in the conflict agreed to the details of the operation, including who will be released and when.
“Our deep desire is for all hostages to be released, and that civilians be shielded from the pain and suffering that armed conflict brings,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the organization’s regional director for the Near and Middle East.
HEAD OF U.S. AID AGENCY CALLS FOR SPEED-UP OF HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA
WASHINGTON — The lead U.S. development agency is urging a rapid ramping-up of humanitarian assistance to battered Gaza for the long term, calling it “urgent and imperative.”
Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, made the call in a statement Thursday, as a carefully negotiated cease-fire and hostage release began in the Gaza Strip.
Power called the cease-fire “a direct result of U.S. diplomacy with our partners in the region.”
With 1.7 million people in Gaza internally displaced and virtually all of the 2.3 million people there needing aid, “the scale of humanitarian needs in Gaza is staggering,” Power wrote.
“It is both urgent and imperative that lasting mechanisms be put in place to significantly accelerate the pace of sustained aid into Gaza,” Power wrote.
As the largest donor to U.N. assistance in Gaza, the U.S. also is urging other countries to fund emergency appeals from the United Nations for urgent assistance for Gaza’s civilians, Power said.
BREAK IN WAR EXTENDS TO IRAN-BACKED MILITIAS — FOR NOW
BAGHDAD — Iranian-backed militias that have launched dozens of rocket and drone attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks held their fire on Friday, the first day of the a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The lull came after an escalation this week in which U.S. warplanes killed multiple militants from the powerful Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah militia in response to the first use of short-range ballistic missiles against U.S. forces at Al-Asad Air Base.
Milita spokesman Jaafar al-Husseini said his group is “not necessarily” observing the truce — which only officially pertains to Gaza — but is “monitoring” the behavior of the United States and will act accordingly.
Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militant groups under the umbrella group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq began striking U.S. facilities Oct. 17 and have since launched more than 60 attacks in Iraq and Syria. The militant groups have said they are retaliating against the U.S. for its support of the Israeli offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, following the Hamas-led Oct. 7 surprise attack that killed about 1,200 Israelis.
Likewise, in southern Lebanon, where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has exchanged fire with Israeli forces throughout the Israel-Hamas war, a cautious calm prevailed Friday. Some of the more than 55,000 Lebanese displaced by the fighting began returning to inspect their houses and businesses in border towns.
ISRAELI MEDIA SAY HAMAS HAS FREED 13 ISRAELI HOSTAGES
JERUSALEM — Israeli media say the Hamas militant group has released the first batch of hostages under a cease-fire deal Friday, including 13 Israelis who have been held in the Gaza Strip for nearly seven weeks.
The media cited Israeli security officials.
Twelve Thai nationals were also released, according to Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Under a deal negotiated by Qatar, 50 hostages are set to be freed during a four-day truce.
Israel is set to free 150 Palestinians over the next four days as part of the deal. Thirty-nine prisoners are to be freed Friday.
THOUSANDS OF ISRAELIS GATHER TO RECEIVE NEWS OF HOSTAGE RELEASE
JERUSALEM — Thousands of Israelis gathered in what has been dubbed “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv on Friday evening, singing songs to welcome the Jewish Sabbath and watching newscasts on large screens as they waited to receive news of the release of 13 Israeli hostages slated to be freed.
“My emotions are mixed,” Shelli Shem Tov, the mother of 21-year-old hostage Omer Shem Tov, told Israeli’s Channel 12 at the square. “I’m excited for the families that are going to hug their loved ones, I’m jealous, and I’m sad, mostly sad, that Omer is not coming home yet.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will monitor the hostage release from the Kirya in Tel Aviv, along with several close aides, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office.
THAILAND SAYS 12 THAI NATIONALS HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM GAZA
BANGKOK — Twelve Thai nationals were released from Gaza on Friday, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
It said the 12 hostages have passed through the Rafah crossing and are on the way to Israel’s Hatzerim air base, and will then be taken to a hospital.
The ministry says 39 Thai citizens were killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel and 26 were taken hostage.
Egypt’s state information service said the 12 Thais is in addition to 13 Israeli captives who are to be freed Friday.
ISRAELI SECURITY FORCES FIRE TEAR GAS AT PALESTINIANS WAITING TO GREET PRISONERS
BEITOUNIA, West Bank — Israeli security forces fired tear gas at a crowd of Palestinians gathered to greet prisoners who were to be released from Israeli jails as part of a truce between Israel and Hamas, AP journalists in the West Bank witnessed.
Tear gas was fired to push away crowds from the vicinity of Ofer prison, from where the prisoners were to be released later on Friday.
Palestinian authorities have released a list of 39 Palestinian prisoners expected to be released on Friday, including 24 women and 15 teenage boys, in exchange for 13 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Currently:
— A four-day truce begins, setting the stage for the release of dozens of hostages.
— Families of hostages not slated for release from Gaza during current truce face enduring nightmare.
— Palestinians in Gaza seeking refuge from war find their world is shrinking.
— Hezbollah fires rockets at north Israel after an airstrike kills 5 of the group’s senior fighters.
— Thousands led by Cuba’s president march in solidarity with Palestinians.
— Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
