1 of 1 Hostages released by Hamas are taken to Israel in a Red Cross vehicle Photo: Portal Hostages released by Hamas are taken to Israel in a Red Cross vehicle Photo: Portal
Israel and Hamas exchanged another group of prisoners this Thursday (30), said Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari. The announcement came after the ceasefire agreement was extended for another day.
The Israeli government released 30 Palestinians held in the country’s prisons. The group consists of 23 minors and seven women.
Hamas released eight hostages: two minors and six women, including a Mexican, a Russian and a Uruguayan. Two people were released at the beginning of the day, while the other six were released at night.
Although the agreement between the parties stipulates that Hamas will release ten hostages for each day of the ceasefire, this Thursday Israel accepted the release of only eight people, since the terrorist group released a total of 16 people on Wednesday (29).
Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the temporary pause in the conflict for another day, this Thursday (30). The agreement was reached just minutes before the last agreed deadline for the ceasefire expired.
This was the second time the agreement was extended. The break, which began on Friday (24th), was supposed to end on Monday (27th), but after negotiations it was extended for another two days.
With the new deal, the temporary pause reaches its seventh day, with the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners from Israel. The ceasefire also allows humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip.
The extension of the agreement is likely to allow Hamas to release more hostages. The victims have been in the hands of terrorists since October 7, when the armed group invaded and launched an attack against Israel, sparking the conflict.
Israeli forces said an extension of the ceasefire was possible after mediators attempted to free the hostages. The Israeli prime minister’s office said the country had received a list of women and children who would be released by Hamas, allowing the pause to be extended.
The announcements about the agreement were made a few minutes before the end of the ceasefire. Both Israel and Hamas had previously said they were preparing to resume fighting.
Qatari officials said the terms of the agreement remained the same, with the cessation of hostilities and the provision of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians living in Gaza.