Tel Aviv: Eleven more hostages, who were abducted from Israel on October 7, were released as the truce between Tel Aviv and Hamas entered the 4th day on Monday.
“The Israelis released from Gaza include 3 French citizens, 2 German citizens, and 6 Argentinian citizens, were handed over to the ICRC,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari posted to X.
Israel identified the returned hostages as 12-year-old Eitan Yahami, 51-year-old Karina Engelbert, 18-year-old Mika Angle, 12-year-old Yuval Engel, 34-year-old Sharon Aloni-Kunyo, 3-year-old Yuli Konyo, 3-year-old Emma Kunio, 16-year-old Sahar Calderon, 12-year-old Erez Calderon, 16-year-old Or Yaakov and 12-year-old Yigil Yaakov.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also confirmed release of their respective citizens.
Shortly after the arrival of the hostages was confirmed, Israel’s prison authority said 33 Palestinian inmates, including 30 minors and 3 women, had been released.
This followed hours after the extension of true between Israel and Hamas by two more days. The cease-fire between Israel and Hamas “has allowed for a surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza,” National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby noted.
The renewed agreement prolongs a pause in the war, which is now approaching two months, and has killed at least 13,000 people on both sides. At least 14,854 people have been killed and 36,000 injured in Gaza, while Israel has seen loss of 1,200 lives since October 7.
