Twelve More Israeli Hostages Released, Hamas Cease-Fire Extended Until Wednesday

The IDF confirmed Tuesday afternoon that a dozen more hostages have been released from Hamas custody in the Gaza Strip and were being escorted back to Israel by the Red Cross, bringing the total number of Israeli citizens released to 50.

“Based on information that was received from the Red Cross, 12 hostages — including ten Israelis and two foreign nationals — are on their way toward Israeli territory,” the military noted in an official statement. “The families of the hostages are being updated by IDF representatives with the latest available information.”

The two foreign nationals are from Thailand, a country whose workforce Israel relies on for agricultural assistance. Earlier this week, the Thai prime minister claimed that over a dozen citizens were still being held captive by Hamas. In return for the latest round of hostages, Israel released 30 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday.

Among the Israelis freed were nine women and one child, of whom two are dual passport holders. Many have relatives and friends who were murdered by Palestinian terrorist groups on October 7, and a few still have partners held in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

During Tuesday’s exchange, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists shared a brief embrace before releasing the hostages into the custody of the Red Cross. “Hamas and Islamic handing over hostages. Not surprising Islamic Jihad also wants a piece of the spotlight. Some of these hostages, like previous ones that have been released, were held by the Iranian proxy,” Joe Truzman, a researcher specializing in Palestinian armed groups with the Foundations for Defense of Democracies, wrote.

Last week, the Israeli government approved the transfer of civilian hostages held by Hamas in exchange for women and minors currently imprisoned in Israeli jails, many on terror-related charges. Israel initially agreed to a four-day cease-fire while allowing considerably more humanitarian aid, including fuel, into the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The vote came after tense internal negotiations within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration. “Do you trust [Yahya] Sinwar more than us?” Israeli minister Benny Gantz reportedly asked finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, an opponent of the hostage swap, referring to the Hamas mastermind allegedly behind the October 7 attacks.

“We are not united,” national-security minister Itamar Ben Gvir pushed back on one Likud cabinet member pleading for consensus. “This is a decision with generational damage that will come back to hurt us badly.”

The latest round of swaps represents an extension of the short-term cease-fire plan agreed to by Israel and Hamas. According to Qatar, a broker for the Palestinian terrorist group where much of its political leadership resides, the exchange will continue Wednesday, marking the sixth day in a row that hostilities between the two parties have been suspended.

So far, 50 Israelis and 150 Palestinian prisoners – alongside 17 Thai as well as Filipino and Russian nationals – have been released.