Hamas fighters freed a second group of 13 Israeli hostages on Saturday after hours of suspense due to a delay in the agreed hostage-for-prisoner exchange. The exchange, part of a four-day ceasefire, faced complications as Hamas accused Israel of breaching the terms, leading to a tense halt. Qatari and Egyptian mediators intervened, and Israel provided reassurances, eventually leading to the release of the hostages in a late-night operation.
Among the freed Israelis was 21-year-old Maya Regev, abducted during the October 7 assault on the Supernova desert rave. The hostages were transferred through Gaza’s Rafah border crossing to Israel. Concurrently, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners.
The exchange, initially scheduled earlier, followed a similar swap on Friday, creating emotional reunions for families involved. The truce, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, is expected to see Hamas release a total of 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners. As the ceasefire allows aid to reach Gaza, humanitarian efforts are underway to address critical shortages and provide relief to the war-torn region. The pause in fighting is seen as a potential precursor to further negotiations for a lasting peace.
