According to Israeli media reports on November 24, Hamas released 12 Thai citizens and 13 Israeli hostages, including women and children. The hostages were received by International Committee of the Red Cross staff and taken to Egypt through the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
A hostage-carrying vehicle arrives at the Rafah border. Photo: Reuters
The release of 13 women and children out of about 240 hostages held by Hamas was part of a four-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This was also the first group of hostages to be released.
The first group of hostages was released with the support of the Red Cross and Egyptian security forces at 4 p.m. Friday (local time), nine hours after the start of the ceasefire, and will be taken home under military protection.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin also confirmed that 12 Thai hostages kidnapped during the Hamas-Israel conflict on October 7 were released a few hours after the start of a four-day ceasefire.
"The security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have confirmed that the 12 Thai hostages have been released. Embassy staff are on their way to pick them up," Mr. Srettha posted on social network X.
An official involved in the negotiations with Hamas said the 12 Thai hostages were released under a separate deal. All 12 Thais were men and were not part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that involved women and children.
Since November 24, Hamas and Israel have reached a four-day ceasefire agreement. Accordingly, Hamas will release 50 hostages and Israel will release 150 Palestinian prisoners, while facilitating increased aid to the people of the Gaza Strip. The release of hostages and prisoners is expected to continue in the coming days.
Israel said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas continued to release hostages at a rate of at least 10 a day. A Palestinian source said up to 100 hostages could be freed.
Hamas is believed to have taken 240 people hostage after the attack on October 7. In exchange for the 13 hostages today, Israel is expected to release 39 Palestinian prisoners, including 24 women and 15 teenagers.
Hoai Phuong (according to Reuters)
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