Israel releases 39 Palestinian prisoners as Hamas frees 17 hostages on third day of pause
On day three of the pause in fighting, Hamas freed 14 Israeli hostages while Israel's Prison Service released 39 Palestinian prisoners - ITV News' Chloe Keedy reports
Israel's prison service released 39 Palestinian prisoners after Hamas freed 17 hostages on Sunday
Hamas freed nine children as part of its third exchange of hostages
Responding to the release of the first American hostage, US President Joe Biden said his goal is to extend the ceasefire for as long as possible
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Gaza Strip and met with commanders and troops
Hamas announced the death of Ahmed al-Ghandour, who was in charge of northern Gaza and a member of its top military council
The UN says the truce has made it possible to scale up the delivery of food, water, and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war, but says it's 'hardly enough'
The four-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began at 7am local time (5am GMT) on Friday and is due to end on Tuesday
More than 13,300 Palestinians have died since the start of the war, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry
At least 1,200 people were killed in Israel following Hamas' attack on October 7
Hamas has freed a further 17 hostages, including 14 Israelis and the first American, on the third day of a temporary ceasefire in Gaza that the U.S. hopes will be extended.
In turn, Israel released 39 Palestinian prisoners, all young men, who were welcomed by a cheering crowd waving Hamas flags on Sunday night.
Some of the Israeli hostages were handed over directly to Israel, while others left through Egypt. Most have appeared to be in good physical condition, but one hostage released Sunday, 84-year-old Elma Avraham, is critically ill in hospital.
Also among the hostages released was four-year-old Israeli American Abigail Edan, whose parents were killed in the militants' attack on October 7.
"What she endured was unthinkable", President Biden said, as he reacted emotionally to the release of the first American hostage on Sunday.
Hamas also said it had released one of its Russian hostages “in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin” and as a show of appreciation for Moscow’s position.
Meanwhile, the militant group indicated for the first time it would seek to extend the four-day truce - due to end on Tuesday - by looking to release a larger number of hostages.
The Palestinian prisoners released on Sunday were all young men aged between 15 and 19, and largely accused of public disorder, property damage and in some cases causing or threatening physical harm to Israeli officers by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails.
Many were scooped up from protests and confrontations with troops.
They were welcomed by several hundred people in central Ramallah when they returned, with a crowd hoisting the men onto their shoulders and waving signs and green Hamas flags.
A fourth exchange of hostages and prisoners is expected on Monday - the last day of the ceasefire, during which a total of 50 hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed.
If the temporary ceasefire ends, it will leave close to 180 hostages in the Gaza Strip.
International mediators led by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar are trying to extend the ceasefire that began on Friday.
Hamas on Sunday for the first time said it would seek to extend the temporary pause by looking to release a larger number of hostages.
The Israeli army's chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said it was open to extending the ceasefire if more hostages are released. Israel earlier said the truce can be extended by an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed, but has vowed to quickly resume its offensive once it ends.
Ahead of Sunday's release, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Gaza Strip, where he spoke with troops.
"At the end of the day we will return every one," he said of the hostages, adding that "we are continuing until the end, until victory. Nothing will stop us." It was not clear where he went inside Gaza.
Watch the moment nine-year-old Emily Hand is reunited with her father after being held hostage
Sunday's hostage release was smoother than Saturday, which saw lengthy delays due to disputes over aid.
The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, accused Israel of not following the terms of the truce deal, calling on the country to send aid trucks to the northern Gaza strip.
Hamas also said not enough veteran prisoners were freed in the first swap on Friday.
It delayed the release of Israeli captives for a number of hours, but by around 7pm UK time it appeared the situation had been resolved.
The United Nations says the truce has made it possible to scale up the delivery of food, water, and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war, but it calls the amount of 160 to 200 trucks a day "hardly enough."
It has been able to deliver fuel for the first time since the war began, and to reach areas in the north for the first time in a month.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said 50 Egyptian aid trucks crossed through checkpoints to reach Gaza City and northern areas on Sunday.
Since the war began, Israel barred all imports into Gaza, except for a trickle of supplies from Egypt.
Its ban on fuel, which it said could be diverted to Hamas, caused a territory-wide blackout.
Hospitals, water systems, bakeries and shelters have struggled to keep generators running. Amid food shortages, UN officials had warned in recent weeks of potential starvation.
More than 13,300 Palestinians - many of them women and children - have currently been killed in the war, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
The ministry had stopped keeping a death toll after it claimed to have lost the ability to do so because of the health system's collapse in northern Gaza.
At least 1,200 people died in southern Israel when Hamas launched its surprise attack there on October 7.
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