Hamas has begun releasing Israeli hostages to be reunited with their families as part of President Trump’s peace plan to end the war in Gaza. A first group of seven living hostages were transferred to the Red Cross inside Gaza and they were headed for waiting Israeli military personnel.
Israeli officials say 48 hostages are still in Gaza, including 20 who are believed to be alive. Israel is expected to release some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, of whom 250 are serving life sentences and about 1,700 others who have been detained since the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, in exchange for the release of the Israeli hostages.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect at noon local time on Friday and Israel completed a pullback of its military troops to a pre-approved line in the Palestinian territory.
Aid began flowing back into Gaza as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians returned to northern Gaza, many returning to homes reduced to rubble.
First 7 hostages now in care of Israeli forces, heading for Israeli territory
The Israeli military has confirmed that the first group of seven living hostages has been transferred from the Red Cross to Israeli personnel inside Gaza, and they “are now making their way to Israeli territory.”
The seven were to undergo immediate medical checks upon reaching Israeli territory, the Israel Defense Forces said in a social media post.
“The commanders and soldiers of the IDF salute and embrace the returning hostages as they make their way home to the State of Israel,” the IDF said.
@CBS News
