Israel confirms that Hamas has handed over the hostages to the Red Cross

Israel confirmed this Friday that the Islamist group Hamas has handed over thirteen Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, who are being transferred to Egypt, the official Israeli Army radio reported citing government sources.

The hostages will leave through the Rafah crossing, along with twelve other Thai captives, as part of an agreement for the release of 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners during a four-day truce in Gaza.

The twelve released Thais are not part of the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, but would be the result of a parallel negotiation between Thailand and the Islamist group.

Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, Thailand has sought different ways to achieve the release of the kidnapped people, including a trip led by the head of Thai diplomacy to Egypt and Qatar and meetings in Iran of representatives of the Thai Government with members of the Islamist group.

The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, together with the head of Defense, Yoav Gallant, is at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, headquarters of the Israeli Army, to supervise the imminent release of the thirteen Israeli hostages.

“The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense will closely follow the management of the operation to bring back to the country the Israelis freed from Hamas captivity“, the Government reported in a statement.

The first thirteen Israeli hostages are being exchanged today for 39 Palestinian prisoners, who are currently in the Israeli prison of Ofer to be released when Israel confirms the identity of the freed Israelis.

The exchange, in both cases, is reduced to women and children. In the case of the Palestinian prisoners, today 24 women and 15 male adolescents will be released.

The head of government information in Egypt, one of the countries that mediated this agreement, stated that the Egyptian authorities are “preparing now” at the Rafah crossing to receive those released by Hamas “in preparation for their transfer to the Israeli side.” ”.

In total, 50 Israeli hostages will be released in exchange for the release of 150 Palestinians – in both cases all women and children – during the four days of the truce, which may be extended to ten days if Hamas is willing to hand over more captives. according to Israel.

For its part, the Israeli Army reported that everything is ready to bring back the kidnapped people, who will return to Israel in four military helicopters that are already ready to wait for them.