(NewsNation) — Hamas has released a total of 69 hostages as part of a four-day cease-fire deal after being abducted and held in Gaza for the past 50 days.
On Friday, Hamas freed 24 hostages, including 13 Israelis, 10 Thai citizens and one Filipino citizen, according to a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Hamas released a second group of hostages — 13 Israeli citizens and four foreign nationals — on Saturday night after an hourslong delay.
On Sunday, Hamas released 17 hostages including 14 Israelis, including dual nationals, and three foreign nationals. The group includes Abigail Edan, an American-Israeli citizen.
On Monday, Hamas released 11 hostages, all Israeli citizens.
Speaking about Edan, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said her parents “were slaughtered right in front of her.”
“What that little girl has had to go through all of this time, it’s just unspeakable. It’s unthinkable,” Sullivan said. “It’s something that neither you or I could even begin to imagine or contemplate
Of the foreigners released Sunday, three are Thais and one is Russian. Among the Thai hostages freed in the past few days was 33-year-old Vetoon Phoome, a farm worker whose family had feared he was dead.
Celebrations were not one-sided, as 39 Palestinian prisoners returned home to a hero’s welcome in the West Bank on Friday, including 15 teenagers and 24 women.
Israel is set to release 39 more prisoners, drawn from a list of Palestinian women and children held in the country, in response to the release of the hostages.
Hamas delayed the release Saturday after accusing Israel of not adhering to the agreed terms of the deal regarding the delivery of humanitarian relief to the besieged Gaza Strip and Palestinian prisoners.
Qatar later announced the “obstacles were overcome” through mediation and the hostage release would resume.
The temporary truce between Israel and Hamas for a four-day cease-fire was the result of weeks of negotiations, brokered by Qatar and Egypt with the help of the U.S. Hamas is expected to release a total of 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, under the agreement.
Israel has said the truce can be extended by an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed. The Israeli government, though, has vowed to quickly resume its offensive and complete its goals of returning all hostages and destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities.
Hostages Released Monday, Nov. 27
| Israeli Hostages |
| 1. Eitan Yahalomi, 12 2. Karina Engelbert, 51 3. Mika Engel, 18 4. Yuval Engel, 11 5. Sharon Aloni-Cunio, 34 6. Yuli Cunio, 3 7. Emma Cunio, 3 8. Sahar Kalderon, 16 9. Erez Kalderon, 12 10. Or Jacob, 16 11. Yagil Jacob, 12 |
Hostages Released Sunday, Nov. 26
| American-Israeli Hostages | Israeli Hostages | Thai Hostages |
| 1. Abigail Edan, 4 | 1. Alma Avraham, 84 2. Aviva Adrienne Siegel, 62 3. Ron Krivoi, 25 4. Hagar Brodetz, 40 5. Ofri Brodetz, 10 6. Yuval Brodetz, 8 7. Oriya Brodetz, 4 8. Chen Goldstein-Almog, 48 9. Agam Goldstein-Almog, 17 10. Gal Goldstein-Almog, 11 11. Tal Goldstein-Almog, 8 12. Dafna Elyakim, 15 13. Ela Elyakim, 8 | 1. Wichian Temthong 2. Surin Rae Sung Noen 3. Phonsawan Pinakalo |
Hostages released Saturday, Nov. 25
| Israeli Hostages | Thai Hostages |
| 1. Emily Hand, 9 2. Hila Rotem, 13 3. Maya Regev, 21 4. Noam Or, 17 5. Alma Or, 13 6. Shiri Weiss, 53 7. Noga Weiss, 18 8. Sharon Avigdori, 52 9. Noam Avigdori, 12 10. Shoshan Haran, 67 11. Adi Shoham, 38 12. Yahel Shoham, 3 13. Naveh Shoham, 8 | 1. Natthaphon Onkaew 2. Khomkrit Chombua 3. Anucha Angkaew 4. Manee Jirachat |
The Israeli army on Sunday released a video of 9-year-old Emily Hand running into the arms of her father, Tom, as she was brought back into Israel after being held captivity in Gaza Strip by the Hamas group for 50 days.
Emily had her ninth birthday as a hostage in Gaza, the day before she was reunited with her father, who initially believed she had been killed in the devastating attack by Hamas gunmen on southern Israel last month.
Returned in the second group of hostages released by the Islamist movement under a Qatari-brokered deal with Israel, she appeared in good health with fellow hostage Hila Rotem-Shoshani, whose mother remains in Gaza.
Hostages released Friday, Nov. 24
| Israeli hostages | Thai hostages | Filipino hostages |
| 1. Yafa Adar, 85 2. Margalit Moses, 77 3. Hana Katzir, 76 4. Adina Moshe, 72 5. Daniel Aloni, 45 6. Emilia Aloni, 5 7. Doron Katz Asher, 34 8. Raz Asher, 4 9. Aviv Asher, 2 10. Channa Peri, 79 11. Ruth Munder, 78 12. Karen Munder, 54 13. Ohad Munder, 9 | 1. Nattawaree Munkan 2. Santi Boonprom 3. Boonthom Pankhong 4. Mongkol Phachuabboon 5. Vetoon Phoome 6. Vichai Kalapat 7. Bancha Kongmanee 8. Buddhee Saengboon 9. Uthai Toonsri 10. Uthai Saengnuan | 1. Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco |
Ohad Munder is a nine-year-old Israeli who spent his birthday in captivity, was one of four children released. The joyous reunion unfolded after nearly 50 days without contact.
Gilat Livni, director of pediatrics at Schneider Children’s Medical Center, described the heartwarming scene, saying, “The hugs and the crying. It was very, very exciting for all of us.”
Livni added that the children were in relatively good health, opting to stay at the medical center for a few more days due to the supportive atmosphere.
In a touching moment captured on video, the boy’s mother and grandmother welcomed him back, while his grandfather remains in captivity.
Four-year-old Raz Asher, pictured in her father’s arms, returned to Israel Saturday night.
Margalit Mozes, another released Israeli hostage, was seen walking with an Israeli soldier shortly after arriving.
Former Palestinian prisoner Nurhan Awad, who was 17 in 2016 when she was sentenced to 13 1/2 years in jail for attempting to stab an Israeli soldier with a pair of scissors was also released.
Marah Bakir, another Palestinian prisoner, was warmly welcomed at her family house in East Jerusalem.
NewsNation’s Tanya Noury, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
