'We are committed to the return of all our hostages,' Netanyahu says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he is committed to seeing that all hostages are released, calling it a goal of the war.
"We have now completed the return of the first of our hostages," he said in a statement. "Children, their mothers and other women. Each and every one of them is a whole world. But I emphasize to you — the families, and to you — the citizens of Israel, we are committed to the return of all our hostages."
"This is one of the goals of the war and we are committed to achieving all the goals of the war," he continued.
Qatar's chief negotiator 'hopeful' U.S. hostages will be released soon
DOHA — Qatar’s chief negotiator in the cease-fire talks told NBC News today that he was “hopeful” that American citizens held hostage by Hamas would be released in the upcoming days.
Mohammed al-Khulaifi, who serves as the country’s minister of state at the Foreign Ministry, said he was “expecting another list of hostages” for release tomorrow.
He added that he was “hopeful” that in the upcoming days at least four U.S. citizens, “women and children,” would be freed.
“We are not going to rest in Doha until we make sure that all civilians, included in that specific category, are included in the process of moving and released out of the staging area,” al-Khulaifi also said.
However, he noted that there is “no priority for a list to include citizens from a certain country. That is the impression we received and we want everyone to leave.”
“Our aim is not to distinguish specifically from one citizen to another based on race, religion or nationality,” the minister added.
IDF says Israeli woman thought to be killed is among released hostages
A Israeli woman in her mid-to-late 70s thought to have been killed is alive and among the 13 hostages freed today, an IDF spokesperson said. Hanna Katzir was abducted from her home in the Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, when her husband, Rami, was killed.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed in the organization’s Telegram channel on Tuesday that Katzir was dead, blaming the loss of her life on "the enemy's procrastination." Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a militant group in Gaza.
But after 49 days in captivity, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari announced today that the woman has been freed.
Liat Bell Sommer, a spokeswoman for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, said Katzir is mother to three children and has six grandchildren. She and her husband were inseparable, Sommer said.
Palestinians await the release of detainees from Israel
People gathered today on a hill overlooking the Israeli Ofer military facility in Baytunia, in the occupied West Bank, as they awaited the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages freed from Gaza.
Crowds react to news of hostage release in Tel Aviv
Crowds including the families of Israelis held hostage in Gaza gathered outside the Museum of Tel Aviv today. As news of the deal filtered through, many applauded.
Israel releases details of the 13 hostages freed today
The Israeli government has released the names of the 13 Israeli hostages freed today. They include five women in their 70s, an 85-year-old, and four children between 2 and 9 years old.
They are: Doron Katz-Asher, 34; Raz Asher, 4; Aviv Asher, 2; Danielle Aloni, 45; Amelia Aloni, 5; Ruth Munder, 78; Keren Monder, 54; Ohad Monder, 9; Adina Moshe, 72; Hana Katzir, 76; Margalit Mozes, 77; Hanna Perry, 79; and Yaffe Adar, 85.
According to the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, many of the hostages appear to have been taken from the same kibbutz, Nir Oz.
In addition to the 13 Israeli hostages, 10 Thai nationals and one Filipino were released by Hamas, according to Qatar, though their identities have not been made public.
13 Israeli hostages now back in the country and have undergone initial medical exam, IDF says
TEL AVIV — The 13 released Israeli hostages are now back in Israel with special forces soldiers, the country's military has said.
"The released hostages underwent an initial medical assessment inside Israeli territory. They will continue to be accompanied by IDF soldiers as they make their way to Israeli hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families," the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
"The IDF, together with the entire Israeli security establishment, will continue operating until all the hostages are returned home," it added.
39 Palestinian women and children released from Israeli prisons, Qatar says
Thirty-nine Palestinian women and children have been released from Israeli prisons as part of the truce deal between Israel and Hamas, a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry said on X.
Dr. Majed Al-Ansari said it was part of the “implementation of the commitments of the first day of the agreement," which Qatar helped broker.
Number of hostages released today is 24, Qatar and Red Cross say
The number of hostages released by Hamas today is 24 — 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and one Filipino — the spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry has said.
The hostages were transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which said it was "relieved to confirm the safe release of 24 hostages."
Earlier this afternoon, the Thai prime minister announced that 12 Thai nationals were released, taking the total number of freed hostages to 25. The reason for the discrepancy was not immediately clear and the situation remains fluid.
Red Cross has started facilitating the transfer of hostages and detainees to their families
According to a statement from the International Committee of the Red Cross, teams from the organization have started "a multi-day operation to facilitate the release and transfer of hostages held in Gaza and of Palestinian detainees to the West Bank."
In addition to the prisoner exchange, the ICRC said the operation will include the delivery of additional, much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza.