14 Israeli hostages to be released in exchange for 42 Palestinian prisoners
Israel’s Prison Service said on Saturday it was preparing 42 prisoners for release, suggesting Hamas would release 14 Israeli hostages, AP reported.
There has been no official Israeli announcement on the number of hostages to be freed on Saturday, though Hamas handed a list of names to the authorities late Friday.
It was not immediately clear how many non-Israeli captives may also be released.
Key events
Egypt gets list from Hamas of 14 hostages to be released today, say security sources
Egypt has received a list from Palestinian militant group Hamas of 14 hostages to be released on Saturday, security sources said.
Earlier on Saturday, Israel also said it has received a list of hostages to be freed from Gaza on Saturday by Hamas, Reuters reported.
14 Israeli hostages to be released in exchange for 42 Palestinian prisoners
Israel’s Prison Service said on Saturday it was preparing 42 prisoners for release, suggesting Hamas would release 14 Israeli hostages, AP reported.
There has been no official Israeli announcement on the number of hostages to be freed on Saturday, though Hamas handed a list of names to the authorities late Friday.
It was not immediately clear how many non-Israeli captives may also be released.
Over three dozen Palestinian prisoners returned home to a heroes welcome in the occupied West Bank on Friday following their release from Israeli prisons as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the Associated Press reports.
The procession of freed prisoners, some accused of minor offences and others convicted in attacks, at a checkpoint outside of Jerusalem stoked massive crowds of Palestinians into a chanting, clapping, hand-waving, screaming frenzy.
Fifteen dazed young men, all in stained grey prison sweatsuits and looking gaunt with exhaustion, glided through the streets on the shoulders of their teary-eyed fathers as fireworks turned the night sky to blazing colour and patriotic Palestinian pop music blared.
Some of those released were draped in Palestinian flags, others in the green flags of Hamas. They flashed victory signs as they crowd-surfed.
“I have no words, I have no words,” said newly released 17-year-old Jamal Brahma, searching for something to say to the hordes of jostling journalists and thousands of chanting Palestinians, many in national dress. “Thank God.”
Tears fell down his father Khalil Brahma’s cheeks as he brought his son down from his shoulders and looked him in the eye for the first time in seven months. Israeli forces had arrested Jamal at his home in the Palestinian city of Jericho last spring and detained him without charge or trial.
“I just want to be his father again,” he said.
The release of the Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails came just hours after two dozen hostages, including 13 Israelis, were released from captivity in Gaza in the initial exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners during the four-day ceasefire that started Friday.
Under the deal, Hamas is to release at least 50 hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners, over the four days. Israel said the truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed.
The second day of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has allowed critical humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and given civilians their first respite after seven weeks of war.
The United Nations said the pause enabled it to scale up the delivery of food, water and medicine to the largest volume since the resumption of humanitarian aid convoys on 21 October, Associated Press reports.
It was also able to deliver 129,000 litres (34,078 gallons) of fuel – just over 10% of the daily pre-war volume – as well as cooking gas, for the first time since the war began.
In the southern city of Khan Yunis on Saturday, a long line of people with gas cans and other containers waited outside a filling station hoping to get some of the newly delivered fuel.
For the first time in over a month, aid reached northern Gaza, the focus of Israel’s ground offensive. A UN convoy delivered flour to two facilities sheltering people displaced by fighting.
The UN said it and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society were also able to evacuate 40 patients and family members from a hospital in Gaza City, where much of the fighting has taken place, to a hospital in Khan Yunis.
Rungarun Wichangern was lying on her bed, staring at her phone and hoping desperately for news, when she spotted the photo. An image had been shared on Facebook showing 10 Thai workers, who had been held hostage in Gaza for seven weeks, finally being driven to safety.
She felt sure her younger brother, 33-year-old Vetoon Phoome, who had been working on a farm close to Gaza and was abducted on 7 October, was among those freed.
“In the picture I could only see the side of his face, but I could recognise his expression, his eyes,” she said. “When I zoomed in, I thought: I think this is my brother.”
My hand was shivering. I had hope again.
Then she saw a video clip – it was filmed too far away to see the faces properly but she saw the way he walked. “I recognised him right away,” she said.
Vetoon’s sister tells of her happiness at his release in this exclusive report by Rebecca Ratcliffe and Navaon Siradapuvadol:
Hamas set to release new wave of hostages, officials say
Hamas fighters are set to release a new wave of hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, officials said, offering hope to anguished families after seven weeks of war.
Agence France-Presse reports that key mediator Qatar was expected to announce the numbers of prisoners and hostages to be freed later on Saturday – the second swap since a four-day ceasefire came into effect on Friday and largely silenced the guns on both sides.
Israeli authorities said they had received a list of the hostages to be freed but did not provide numbers or the precise timing.
On Friday, the first day of the truce, Hamas released 24 hostages, according to Qatar and an official Israeli list. They comprised 13 Israelis – all of whom were women and children, including some dual citizens – 10 Thais and one Filipino.
A two-minute video released by Hamas showed masked militants with rifles, wearing military fatigues and the green headband of its armed wing, as they handed the hostages over to Red Cross officials
Israel in turn freed 39 women and children from its prisons.
US president Joe Biden told reporters in Massachusetts:
It’s only a start, but so far it’s gone well.
“I think the chances are real” for extending the truce, he said.
Opening summary
Welcome to the Guardian’s continuing live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. I’m Adam Fulton and here’s a snapshot of the top developments.
Hamas is set to release a new wave of hostages on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, according to the AFP news agency, which is citing unnamed officials, providing hope to anguished families after seven weeks of war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.
Key mediator Qatar was expected to announce the numbers of prisoners and hostages to be freed on Saturday in the second swap since a four-day ceasefire came into effect on Friday and brought a pause in the fighting.
Israeli authorities said they had received a list of the hostages to be freed but did not provide numbers or the exact timing.
More on that story soon. In other key developments:
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The first group of hostages were released by Hamas on Friday and comprised 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and a Philippine national. The 13 Israelis, who included very young children and older women, had reached their home country by early evening. The Thai ministry said it “will do all possible to expedite” the return of their nationals to Thailand.
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Thirty-nine Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel on Friday evening. They consisted of 24 women, including some convicted of attempted murder for attacks on Israeli forces, and 15 teenagers jailed for offences such as throwing stones. Celebrations have been taking place in the occupied West Bank after their release.
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Under the agreement between Israel and Hamas that brought about the hostage release and temporary ceasefire, Hamas is due to free at least 50 of the about 240 mostly Israeli hostages it has held since launching attacks into southern Israel on 7 October in which 1,200 people were killed. In return, Israel will release at least 150 Palestinian prisoners and allow up to 300 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
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The families of the 10 Thai hostages released on Friday had been notified, Thailand’s ministry of foreign affairs said, and the group was now with officials from the Thai embassy. The ministry also said there were now an estimated 20 Thai nationals who were still being held in Gaza.
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US president Joe Biden said the chances were “real” that the temporary Israel-Hamas ceasefire could be extended. He said Friday’s hostage release was the “start of a process” and that he “will not stop” until all remaining hostages in Gaza were brought home. The deal reached by Israel and Hamas involved “extensive US diplomacy”, Biden said, adding: “It’s only a start, but so far it’s gone well.” He also said he expected American citizens to be among the hostages who would be released.
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Most of the Israeli hostages released by Hamas were said to be in good health after returning to Israel, the hospital receiving them announced. Schneider Children’s hospital, where four women and four child hostages were released, said doctors had conducted a preliminary examination and said they were all in in good physical condition.
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Some 137 trucks of goods were offloaded by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reception point in the Gaza Strip on Friday. The UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs said it was “the biggest humanitarian convoy received” in Gaza since 7 October. In addition, 129,000 litres of fuel and four trucks of gas also crossed into Gaza, it said.
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Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos said on X that he was “overjoyed” to confirm that a Filipino, Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco, was among the first group of hostages released on Friday. Pacheco was working as a carer when he was captured by Hamas during the 7 October attacks.
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The World Health Organisation has voiced concern about the fate of the head of Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital, Mohammad Abu Salmiya, whom Israeli forces detained over the facility’s alleged use by Hamas.
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Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters are expected to gather in London for the latest demonstration calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The Metropolitan police will be on high alert and about 1,500 officers will be deployed for the protests on Saturday.
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The Israeli offensive on Gaza has killed more than 14,000 people, thousands of them children, according to Palestinian officials.