Watch: Hamas releases 24 hostages in exchange for 39 prisoners from Israel

Hamas fighters released 24 hostages on Friday during the first day of the war's first truce, the Red Cross said, including Israeli women and children and Thai farm workers.

A total of 39 women and children detained in Israeli jails were released as part of a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman said in a post on X on Friday.

Nine hours after guns fell silent for the first time in seven weeks, the International Red Cross said it had begun an operation to facilitate the transfer of hostages in Gaza to Israel in return for Palestinians held in Israeli jails. It later said 24 hostages had been freed in Gaza.

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"The deep pain that family members separated from their loved ones feel is indescribable. We are relieved that some will be reunited after long agony," said Fabrizio Carboni, the International Committee of the Red Cross's regional director for the Near and Middle East.

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