A nine year-old girl who was feared dead by her family after the Hamas attacks on 7 October is among 17 hostages released tonight.
Irish-Israeli Emily Hand has been freed after weeks being held captive in Gaza, the Irish foreign affairs Minister Micheal Martin confirmed.
The Israeli government said six adult women and seven children and teenagers had been released from Hamas in Gaza in a hostage deal on Saturday, after spending 50 days in captivity. Four Thai nationals were also freed on Saturday evening.
A Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations, involving Egypt and Qatar, said Hamas would continue with the four-day truce agreed with Israel, the first break in fighting in seven weeks of war.
It is the second release of hostages since the ceasefire began. On Friday, 24 were released from Gaza and transported through the Rafah crossing into Egypt after seven weeks in captivity.
It comes as at least eight trucks carrying fuel and cooking gas were allowed into Gaza this morning. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported this morning that 196 trucks crossed into the Gaza Strip through yesterday.
