After weeks of negotiations, Hamas on Friday launched the primary batch of captives it had agreed to let loose below a truce deal with Israel that got here into impact within the morning.
Fighters took 237 individuals into captivity from Israel after Hamas’s October 7 assault. Beneath the deal for a four-day truce, Hamas is to launch 50 captives in alternate for the discharge of 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel and a pause in combating. Nonetheless, greater than these numbers is likely to be launched, officers indicated.
The deal was reached, and introduced by Qatar, on Wednesday, whereas the truce formally began at 7:00am native time (5:00 GMT) on Friday.
Here’s what we all know in regards to the captives launched by Hamas and those that are nonetheless in Gaza.
What number of captives had been launched on Friday?
In all, 24 captives had been freed by Hamas on Friday. Whereas initially, the plan was for Hamas to launch 13 Israeli captives — ladies and youngsters — it will definitely freed 24 individuals, together with 10 Thai nationals.
The Prime Minister of Thailand introduced the discharge of 12 Thai residents on X.
ได้รับการยืนยันจากฝ่ายความมั่นคงและกระทรวงต่างประเทศว่า มีตัวประกันชาวไทย 12 คนได้ถูกปล่อยตัวออกมาแล้วขณะนี้เจ้าหน้าที่สถานทูตกำลังไปรับตัวอีก 1 ชั่วโมงน่าจะทราบชื่อและรายละเอียดต่างๆครับกรุณาคอยติดตาม
— Srettha Thavisin (@Thavisin) November 24, 2023
However later within the night, the international ministry of Qatar — which has led the negotiations which have culminated within the truce and alternate of captives and prisoners — stated the composition of the freed captives was:
- 13 Israelis, together with some with twin nationalities
- 10 Thai nationals
- 1 Filipino
All 24 captives had been transferred by Hamas to representatives of the Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross, who crossed them over from Gaza into Egypt via the Rafah crossing.
The captives had been handed over to Egyptian authorities.
At what time had been they launched?
The primary launch experiences counsel Thai captives had been freed simply earlier than 4:00pm native time (14:00 GMT).
About half an hour later, the opposite captives had been launched, Hamas officers advised AFP.
On the Egyptian aspect of the border, the freed Israeli captives met representatives of the Shin Wager, Israel’s home intelligence company, based on the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Medical workers, troopers and helicopters are additionally ready for them. The launched captives will likely be taken in helicopters to hospitals in Tel Aviv for medical and psychological assessments.
On the hospitals, captives may also reunite with their households, the Israeli military stated earlier on Friday.
Which captives had been launched?
The Thai captives who had been freed on Friday are amongst 23 who had been captured by Palestinian fighters throughout their assault on southern Israel on October 7.
On Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Workplace confirmed that it obtained an preliminary checklist of those that could be freed and was involved with their households.
Nonetheless, kinfolk of the primary group haven’t commented on the discharge. The Israeli authorities has reportedly warned them to not converse with the media and requested information retailers to not publish names accessed via any leaks.
Who is likely to be launched subsequent?
The captives who had been initially to be launched as we speak are among the many 50 that Hamas has dedicated to liberating over 4 days below the truce settlement.
However with the ten Thai captives and one Filipino additionally being launched, the whole variety of these whom Hamas frees in the course of the truce is predicted to exceed 50.
Three US residents and eight French residents are amongst those that may very well be freed in the course of the truce, based on officers from the 2 international locations. The three American captives embody two ladies and a three-year-old woman whose mother and father had been killed within the preliminary Hamas assault. It’s unclear if any of the American or French captives had been amongst these launched on Friday.
Ghazi Hamad, member of Hamas’s political bureau, advised Al Jazeera that they’re targeted on releasing civilians for now. Hamad added {that a} complete launch of captives, together with Israeli troopers, would require an alternate with all 7,200 Palestinians who’re imprisoned.
What number of captives does Hamas have and who’re they?
Palestinian fighters took 237 individuals into captivity throughout its Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, based on Israel, though not all of them are at the moment with Hamas.
Different resistance teams within the Gaza Strip, such because the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, are additionally holding some captives. The finalisation of the truce deal concerned the settlement of all resistance brigades by way of cellphone name, stated Hamas previous to the deal’s announcement.
Hamas fighters kidnapped the captives throughout raids on an out of doors music pageant, collective farms known as kibbutzim, and army bases in Israel on October 7.
Not all captives are Israeli. At the least half are international and twin nationals hailing from roughly 40 international locations together with the US, Thailand, United Kingdom, France, Argentina, Germany, Chile, Spain and Portugal, based on the Israeli authorities.
At the least 33 captives are kids, together with preschoolers and a 10-month-old child, based on Israel. They’ve additionally reported that others within the group embody troopers, the aged, and folks with disabilities.
Hamas has stated that the captives are housed in “secure locations and tunnels”. Freed captives have reported sleeping on mattresses on flooring of tunnels and being offered medical care.
Have any captives been launched from Gaza?
Hamas has beforehand launched 4 captives that had been being held in Gaza.
The first pair of captives freed was an American mother-daughter duo on October 20, following Qatari meditation.
Three days later, two aged ladies had been returned to Israel on “humanitarian causes and poor well being grounds”, following mediation led by Egypt and Qatar.
Israel’s army has stated that it rescued one kidnapped soldier, Ori Megidish, and discovered the physique of one other close to al-Shifa Hospital. Hamas has stated that Israeli air assaults have killed 50 captives in Gaza, together with their military conscript, Noa Marciano, close to the hospital.
On November 16, Israel’s army additionally stated it recovered the physique of a civilian captive, Yehudit Weiss, close to al-Shifa.
On Tuesday, the PIJ stated one aged lady, Hanna Katzir, died in captivity owing to Israel “stalling” her launch after the group provided to return her for humanitarian causes. Israel has not responded to those claims.