In the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, a Palestinian official involved in diplomatic efforts has stated that Hamas is committed to upholding the agreed four-day truce with Israel. As part of a ceasefire agreement, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners, reciprocating for the release of 13 Israelis and four foreigners by Hamas in the second phase of exchanges. The Israeli military confirmed the transfer of the released hostages, including four Thai nationals, to Israel. They are currently under observation in hospitals and will soon be reunited with their families. A video shared by Hamas depicted the hostages, visibly shaken but mostly in good physical condition, being led by masked militants to Red Cross vehicles leaving Gaza. Some hostages waved goodbye to the militants as they departed from the besieged strip.
This development follows the commitment of Hamas to the four-day truce, the first cessation of hostilities since the militant group's fighters entered Israel on October 7, resulting in 1,200 casualties and the taking of approximately 240 hostages. In response, Israel has declared its intent to eliminate the Hamas militants governing Gaza, leading to aerial bombardments, shelling of the enclave, and a ground offensive in the north. As of Saturday, Palestinian health authorities report that around 14,800 people, with roughly 40 per cent of them being children, have lost their lives in the conflict.
