Three Israeli and five Thai nationals held captive in Gaza since Oct. All were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants in southern Israel, where they had been working in agriculture. Hamas was believed to be holding 10 non-Israeli hostages: eight from Thailand, one from Tanzania and one from Nepal.
Of the eight Thais, at least two are believed to have been killed on Oct. The release of the Thai hostages is part of a separate deal negotiated by the Thai government. Prior to the ceasefire, Hamas had been holding 98 people hostage in Gaza. Today's release took place in stages and in different locations, with Berger the first to be released Thursday morning in Jabalia, in northern Gaza, followed later by the release of the remaining hostages in Khan Younis, in the south.
The hostages were surrounded by a large jeering crowd and dozens of gun-toting militants as they were escorted to be handed over to the Red Cross. The Palestinian prisoners are expected to be released shortly, now that the hostages have arrived on Israeli soil. The prisoners scheduled for release Thursday include 32 serving life sentences, 48 serving several years for serious offenses and 30 minors. Three female Israeli civilians were freed that same day. A week later, four female Israeli soldiers kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base were also released.
According to the terms of the agreement signed by Israel and Hamas β and brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States β female civilians were to be released before soldiers, so Hamas was already supposed to have released Yehud.
Hamas has also failed to produce a list of how many of the 33 hostages set to be released in the first phase of the truce are still alive, another condition of the agreement. The fragility of the agreement was exposed last weekend, when Israel suspended the opening of the eastβwest Nezarim Corridor , in the process blocking the return of thousands of Gazans trying to get back to their homes in northern Gaza, after Hamas refused to release Yehud.
