In two batches, Hamas hands over all living Israeli hostages

Hamas handed over all 20 living hostages today. Israeli Channel 12 announced that “there are no more living hostages in the hands of Hamas.” For its part, Hamas confirmed that it had handed over the hostages in implementation of President Donald Trump’s plan, and stressed to the mediators the need to oblige Israel to implement its obligations.

Hamas released the second batch of Israeli hostages in the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip, numbering 13, and the International Red Cross received them, which in turn handed them over to Israel.

Earlier this morning, the process of exchanging Palestinian prisoners for hostages began in the Gaza Strip, where the Red Cross received 7 live Israeli hostages as a first batch, while the rest will be received within the next few hours. Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath correspondent reported that the hostages are in good health.

The Israeli army confirmed that 7 hostages released by Hamas had crossed into Israel’s borders, and the army said that others would be released later.

Before that, the Red Cross handed over the released hostages to the Israeli authorities, and also supervised the release of Palestinian prisoners and their transfer to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The delivery process took place in a closed place, away from cameras.

At the same time, an official participating in the operation told Reuters that all 1,966 Palestinian detainees scheduled to be released today boarded buses inside Israeli prisons. The official stated that 1,716 Palestinians will be released from Gaza at the Nasser Medical Complex in the Strip today, and 250 Palestinians who were serving life sentences in Israeli prisons will be released to the West Bank, Jerusalem, and abroad today.