Thirteen Israeli hostages, including four children and six elderly women, have been released after a 49-day captivity by Hamas in Gaza. The release was made possible through a four-day truce facilitated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. The first batch of hostages was freed on Friday. As part of the truce agreement, 50 women and children under the age of 19, who were taken hostage by Hamas, were released in exchange for 150 Palestinians currently detained by Israel.
A heartwarming video released by Schneider Children’s Medical Centre (SCMC) shows Ohad Munder, a nine-year-old child, joyfully running towards his father and embracing him. Ohad, along with his mother Keren Munder, 55, and grandmother Ruti Munder, 78, were among those freed.
Ohad’s brother, Roy Zichri Munder, expressed gratitude to the people of Israel and emphasized that while they are happy, they are not celebrating as there are still more hostages to be released. He thanked the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) for their efforts and urged everyone to not lose hope, as they continue their campaign for the release of all hostages.
The truce allows for the release of 50 hostages in batches during the four-day ceasefire. On Saturday, the second batch consisting of 13 Israeli and four Thai nationals was released.
However, the truce agreement faced a challenge when Hamas claimed that only 65 out of 340 aid trucks had reached northern Gaza, which was less than what Israel had agreed upon. The dispute over aid supplies posed a risk to the continuation of the truce.
Overall, the release of the Israeli hostages has brought relief and hope for the families involved, while efforts continue to secure the freedom of the remaining captives.
