Gaza, MINA – The armed wing of the Hamas group, Al-Qassam Brigades, released 13 Israeli hostages and four foreign nationals as the second batch of releases.
The handover was carried out in Gaza at midnight Saturday to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as part of a prisoner exchange agreement with Israel.
“In the context of a humanitarian pause, the Al-Qassam Brigades handed over 13 Israeli citizens to the Red Cross,” the Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement. Anadolu Agency reported.
It said four foreigners were also released and handed over to the ICRC.
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Meanwhile, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari confirmed that 13 Israelis and four foreigners were handed over to the Red Cross.
Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN, quoted the ICRC as saying the second wave of Israeli prisoners was taken to the Rafah border crossing.
Afterward, the Israeli government released 39 Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons as part of a prisoner exchange deal.
Earlier on Friday, Israel and Hamas exchanged 24 Israeli citizens and foreigners for 39 Palestinians from Israeli prisons, in the first batch of exchanges.
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Hamas and Israel agreed to a four-day ceasefire starting Friday.
Under the agreement, the hostages and detainees will be released in stages over four days. (T/RE1/P2)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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