The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that hostages released by Hamas were in Israeli territory.
“They’re home,” the IDF wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “IDF Special Forces and ISA Forces are currently with the released hostages.”
They’re home.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 24, 2023
IDF Special Forces and ISA Forces are currently with the released hostages. 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 IDF, together with the entire Israeli…
Hostages would “continue to be accompanied by IDF soldiers” as they are transported to hospitals in Israel and reunited with their families later, the IDF wrote.
“The IDF, together with the entire Israeli security establishment, will continue operating until all the hostages are returned home,” IDF added.
A group of 13 Israeli citizens and 12 Thai nationals were released by Hamas on Friday morning as a four-day ceasefire began.
The group of prisoners released by Hamas had been in the custody of the International Red Cross and Egyptian officials, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
Roughly 200 trucks with humanitarian aid supplies and fuel tankers with diesel and natural gas also reportedly entered the Gaza Strip, according to the WSJ.
Israel is also set to release 39 Palestinian prisoners, including 24 women and 15 teenage boys.
The beginning of the ceasefire came after weeks of fighting between Israel and Hamas in the aftermath of a surprise invasion launched on Israel on Oct. 7, that left more than 1,400 people dead and more than 200 people taken as hostages.
Hamas previously released two elderly Israeli women, Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, and her neighbor, Nurit Cooper, 79, and two Americans, Judith Ranaan, 59, and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie.