Israel-Hamas war Highlights: Hamas releases 24 hostages after nearly 7 weeks in captivity

Hamas freed at least 10 Thai nationals seized in the group’s surprise attack on southern Israel last month, releasing them alongside Israeli hostages who were part of the first swap under a new cease-fire deal.

Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara wrote online that he was “overjoyed.”

He had traveled more than three weeks ago to Egypt and Qatar to seek their help in obtaining the hostages’ freedom. Thais were the biggest single group of foreigners taken hostage.

Speaking to reporters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, US President said that he hoped the ceasefire in Gaza could last for more than four days.

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday four Germans were among the 24 hostages released from captivity in Gaza earlier in the day.

"I am so incredibly relieved that 24 hostages were just released from Gaza, among them four Germans, and that a father, after 49 days of hell, of unbelievable fear, can finally embrace again his two small daughters and his wife," Baerbock said on the sidelines of a party conference of her Greens party.

One hundred and thirty seven trucks of goods were offloaded by the UNRWA reception point in the Gaza Strip on Friday, the biggest humanitarian convoy received since Oct. 7, the U.N. humanitarian office (OCHA) said in a statement.

The Israeli government said Friday it would summon the Belgian and Spanish ambassadors following remarks by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his Belgian counterpart Alexander de Croo on the war between Israel and Hamas.

Four children and six elderly women were among the first batch of 13 Israeli hostages released by Hamas under a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli army said Friday the first hostages released from the Gaza Strip were back on Israeli territory where they would undergo medical checks before being reunited with their families.

Qatar confirmed that a total of 24 hostages have been released by Hamas so far.

Israelis: 13

Thais: 10

Filipino: 1

Qatar foreign ministry has confirmed the release of 39 women and children detained in Israeli jails.

Hamas on Friday released 13 Israeli hostages after nearly seven weeks in captivity in Gaza strip, said Israeli media.

Hamas has handed over some hostages over to the International Committee of the Red Cross for return to Israel, reported AFP citing sources.

Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza's largest hospital Al-Shifa on Friday after the Gaza deal, the Hamas-run health ministry said.

Thai prime minister Srettha Thavisin said that the has received confirmation of 12 Thai workers being released from the Hamas captivity in Gaza, reported Reuters.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant on Friday said that a truce under way with Hamas in Gaza was a "short pause", after which Israel would resume operating with full military force.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh on Friday said that they are committed to the truce and hostage swap deal and its success “as long as Israel is committed to it as well”.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) spokesperson Christian Lindmeier on Friday said that it was working on further evacuations from northern Gaza hospitals as soon as possible as a truce gets underway, voicing fears for the safety of those remaining in Al Shifa Hospital. “We're extremely concerned about the safety of the estimated 100 patients and health workers remaining at Al Shifa,” he said.

According to officials, the boy was killed on Thursday in the village of Beita near the city of Nablus, a major flashpoint site in the northern West Bank.

Saying that it was looking into into the circumstances surrounding the boy's death, the Israeli military says its troops responded with live fire after Palestinians threw stones at them as they entered the village.

Sirens that blared in the resort city of Eilat were ‘false alarm,' the Israeli military now says, adding that there is ‘no indication of a security incident.’

Hours after Israel's truce with Hamas began, sirens go off in the resort city of Eilat, with the Israeli military warning citizens of a possible long-range aerial attack from Yemen.

Previously, the Yemen-based Houthis have launched drones and missiles at Israel in solidarity with Hamas.

Thailand fervently hopes that this momentum can be maintained so that the remaining hostages, which include Thai nationals, are released at the earliest opportunity. Thailand reiterates our strong call toward that end: Foreign ministry statement

In exchange for 39 Israeli hostages due to be freed by Hamas from the Gaza strip, Israel will release 39 Palestinians (24 women, 15 teenaged males) from West Bank, a Palestinian official has announced.

The Israeli military said it struck ‘various terrorist targets’ from land, air, and sea, on Thursday, the eve of of 96-hour ceasefire with Hamas that began on Friday morning.

Aid trucks begin entering the Gaza strip from Egypt, hours after the Hamas-Israel ceasefire officially commenced at 7 am local time on Friday.

Two of the trucks, representing Egyptian organisations, sported banners that said, 'Together for Humanity," while a third said, “For our brothers in Gaza.”

The world's richest person will be in the country next week for a visit, during which he will visit towns near the Gaza border that were attacked by Hamas on October 7, The Jerusalem Post reports citing N12 news channel.

The billionaire is expected to meet both Israeli President Isaac Herzog and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.