Hamas begins releasing hostages as four-day truce with Israel holds

Tel Aviv to help hostages reunite with families, release Palestinian prisoners in return

TEL AVIV Some two dozen hostages held in Gaza, including Israelis and Thai nationals, have been released, the first to be freed under a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that appeared to be taking hold.

There were conflicting reports about whether 24 or 25 had been released, and the exact breakdown by nationality. The Israelis were primarily women and children.

Thirteen Israeli hostages had been transferred to the Red Cross and were already in Israeli custody, according to an Israeli security source.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that 12 Thai hostages had also been released.

But Qatar's Foreign Ministry said later Hamas released 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and one Filipino.

The hostage releases on Nov 24 were negotiated separately, with Qatar mediating between Israel and Hamas, and Iran aiding Thailand in its talks with Hamas.

Earlier reports said the Israeli hostages would be released to the Red Cross and an Egyptian security delegation that travelled to Gaza on Nov 23, then taken out through Egypt for transfer to Israel.

Israel will release 39 Palestinian prisoners - 24 women and 15 teenagers in the occupied West Bank in exchange for the 13 hostages freed from Gaza, a Palestinian official said.

The authorities in Tel Aviv are now gearing up for the complex task of helping those returning home from a nearly seven-week hostage ordeal that may have left them deeply traumatised.

Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct 7, killing about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to an Israeli count, and seizing about 240 hostages.