After a delay, Hamas released a second group of hostages being held captive in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel, a source confirmed to Newsweek.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the hostages were freed after the Palestinian militant group initially delayed the exchange for several hours, claiming that Israel had violated the terms of the temporary ceasefire deal, the Associated Press reported.
On Saturday night, the IDF confirmed to Newsweek that 17 hostages had been transferred to Israel where they would be taken to hospitals for observation and reunited with their loved ones. As part of the deal, Israel is to free 39 Palestinians later Saturday, according to the AP.
Hamas fighters seized around 240 hostages and killed 1,200 people in its surprise attack on southern Israel on October 7. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza that has killed more than 13,000 Palestinians, the AP reported, citing the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
The hostages are being released as part of a deal that should see at least 50 captives freed during a four-day ceasefire, in exchange for 150 Palestinian women and children being held in Israeli jails and more humanitarian aid.
Hamas on Friday released 24 hostages, women and children, which included 13 Israelis, 10 people from Thailand, and a Filipino citizen. No Americans have been included in either hostage release.
Speaking to NBC News on Friday, a senior White House official said they weren't expecting any American hostages to be released in the first batch, but expressed hope some could 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," the official said.
President Joe Biden also said on Friday that the agreement had been "reached by extensive U.S. diplomacy," adding that he "will not stop" until all the hostages held in Gaza by Hamas are returned home.
IDF confirmed to Newsweek earlier on Saturday that Red Cross representatives transferred the hostages to Egypt. Of the 17 hostages released, 13 are Israeli and four are Thai, according to the information that was received by the IDF and shared with Newsweek. The released hostages' convoy made its way through Egypt to the meeting point at Kerem Shalom in Israel where security representatives verified the identities of those freed.
"The families of the hostages are being updated by IDF representatives with the latest available information," an IDF spokesperson told Newsweek.
A source also confirmed to Newsweek the hostages released on Saturday have undergone an initial examination and are now officially back in Israel alongside the Shin Bet and IDF.
A source told Newsweek on Saturday that the 13 Israeli hostages released are now back in Israel and shared the names and ages of those freed.
- Noam Or, 16
- Alma Or, 13
- Shiri Weiss, 53
- Noga Weiss, 18
- Sharon Hertzman Avigdori, 52
- Noam Avigdori, 12
- Shoshan Haran, 67
- Adi Shoham, 38
- Neve Shoham, 8
- Yahal Shoham, 3
- Hila Rotem Shoshani, 12
- Emily Toni Kornberg Hand, 8
- Maya Regev, 21
Twelve of the Israeli hostages freed on Saturday are being taken to the Sheba Medical Center in central Israel to meet with their families, a source told Newsweek. Maya Regev is being taken to Beersheba's Soroka Hospital to receive immediate medical attention for injuries, but is not believed to be in life-threatening condition. Regev was at the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Be'eri with her brother during the Hamas' October 7 attack, the AP reported.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
fairness meter
To Rate This Article
About the writer
Maura Zurick is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news ... Read more
