The temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas has commenced, with Hamas releasing two dozen of the hostages the militant group has been holding.
On Friday, Hamas released 24 of the 50 hostages it was expected to set free during the four-day truce, according to Fox News. Those released included 10 Thai nationals, one Filipino, and 13 Israelis, who were received in Egypt at the Rafah border crossing by the Red Cross.
According to Reuters, the release of the Thai and Filipino hostages, all men, was part of a separate deal mediated by Egypt and Qatar and was not related to the cease-fire talks.
The names and pictures of the released hostages are trickling out into social media. They include Israeli mother and daughter Danielle Aloni, age 44, and Amelia Aloni, age 6, according to journalist Laura Adkins. Footage from Arab media posted to X shows the release of some of the Israeli hostages, who were transported by ambulance to the Israeli-Egyptian border.
In return for the released hostages, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners on Friday. Palestinian crowds that gathered around Ofer prison in the West Bank ahead of the release of Palestinian prisoners detained there were forced to disperse as Israeli security shot tear gas into the crowd, per The New York Times.
Humanitarian aid for the Palestinians is entering Gaza during the temporary truce. Egypt will send 200 trucks loaded with food, water, and medicine into Gaza each day of the cease-fire. In addition, Egypt is sending in 130,00 liters of diesel and four truckloads of gasoline, government officials said in a news release.
The truce began at 7 a.m. local time on Friday, the announcement of which was reported earlier by The Dallas Express,
