Closing summary
It’s turned 7.15am in Gaza City and Tel Aviv and we’ll close this blog in a moment. Our live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war will resume soon, and in the meantime you can see all our coverage here. Here’s where things stand.
The first group of hostages were released by Hamas – 13 Israelis, 10 Thais and a Philippine national – on Friday. The 13 Israelis, who included very young children and older women, had reached their home country by early evening. The Thai ministry said it “will do all possible to expedite” the return of their nationals to Thailand. Israel has received a list of hostages who are expected to be released by Hamas on Saturday, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says.
Thirty-nine Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel on Friday evening. They consisted of 24 women, including some convicted of attempted murder for attacks on Israeli forces, and 15 teenagers jailed for offences such as throwing stones. Celebrations have been taking place in the occupied West Bank following their release.
The hostage release came as part of a deal that has brought about a temporary pause in hostilities, with the four-day ceasefire marking the first break in seven weeks of war in Gaza. Under the agreement, Hamas is due to free at least 50 of the about 240 mostly Israeli hostages it has held since launching attacks into southern Israel on 7 October in which 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. In return, Israel will release at least 150 Palestinian prisoners and allow up to 300 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The families of the 10 Thai hostages released on Friday had been notified, Thailand’s ministry of foreign affairs said, and the group was now with officials from the Thai embassy. The ministry also said there were now an estimated 20 Thai nationals who were still being held in Gaza.
US president Joe Biden said the chances were “real” that a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be extended. Biden said Friday’s hostage release was the “start of a process” and that he “will not stop” until all remaining hostages in Gaza were brought home. The deal reached by Israel and Hamas involved “extensive US diplomacy”, he said, adding: “It’s only a start, but so far it’s gone well.” Biden also said he expected American citizens to be among the hostages who would be released.
Most of the Israeli hostages released by Hamas were said to be in good health after returning to Israel, the hospital receiving them announced. Schneider Children’s hospital, where four women and four child hostages were released, said doctors had conducted a preliminary examination and said they were all in in good physical condition.
Some 137 trucks of goods were offloaded by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reception point in the Gaza Strip on Friday. The UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs said it was “the biggest humanitarian convoy received” in Gaza since 7 October. In addition, 129,000 litres of fuel and four trucks of gas also crossed into Gaza, it said.
Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos said on X that he was “overjoyed” to confirm that a Filipino, Gelienor “Jimmy” Pacheco, was among the first group of hostages released on Friday. Pacheco was working as a carer when he was captured by Hamas during the 7 October attacks.
The World Health Organisation has voiced concern about the fate of the head of Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital, whom Israeli forces detained over the facility’s alleged use by Hamas.
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters are expected to gather in London for the latest demonstration calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The Metropolitan police will be on high alert and about 1,500 officers will be deployed for the protests on Saturday.
The Israeli offensive on Gaza has killed more than 14,000 people, thousands of them children, according to Palestinian officials. More are thought to be buried under rubble. At least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the Hamas attacks on 7 October, and more than 240 people taken hostage.
Updated
The war is paused, but it is not over.
There will be relief at the promised four days of quiet between Israel and Hamas, and there will be joy for the families waiting to be reunited with loved ones, thanks to Friday’s exchange of hostages held in Gaza for prisoners held in Israel.
But even if the ceasefire is extended, perhaps in return for the release of more Hamas-held captives, this war will not be over anytime soon. If anything, it is likely to intensify.
It is too big to stop now, it runs too deep. And it has already turned Israel upside down.
You only have to spend a few days in the country to see that. The war is everywhere.
In case you missed this earlier, Jonathan Freedland has spoken to survivors, displaced people and senior political and military figures about life in Israel before and after 7 October, and considers the longer-term ramifications:
