The extremist group Hamas reportedly released the first hostages several hours after the ceasefire agreement came into effect.
The Prime Minister of Thailand confirmed on Friday afternoon that the first hostages released by Hamas were Thai. Prime minister By Srettha Thavisin according to which Thailand has sent its diplomats to pick up its freed citizens.
According to the Reuters news agency, Israeli hostages have also been transferred to the Red Cross at the Rafah border crossing. According to the BBC, they will be transported from Egypt by Israeli army helicopters back to their homeland.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu is said to supervise the exchange of prisoners together with the Minister of Defense.
Israel is expected to release 39 Palestinian prisoners in return. According to the BBC, 24 of them are women and 15 are teenage boys. A total of 50 hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released during the four-day ceasefire.
During its attack on Israel on October 7, Hamas took about 240 hostages. A total of around 1,400 people died in Hamas attacks. According to the Health Ministry of Hamas, which controlled the Gaza Strip, about 14,000 people have died in the war on Gaza declared by Israel after the attack by Hamas.
The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was brokered by Qatar.
Sources: Reuters, BBC, Times of Israel, Haaretz, STT