First group of Gaza captives exchanged for Palestinian prisoners as Gaza truce takes hold

A total of 39 Palestinian female and child prisoners have been released by the Israeli occupation at Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank as a temporary ceasefire takes hold across Gaza following six weeks of Israeli attacks.

Buses carrying Palestinian prisoners who were imprisoned by Israel have arrived at the Beitunia checkpoint following their release from Ofer under a deal that followed weeks of ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

The prisoners had been freed from three jails in Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank and then taken to the Ofer prison on buses.

Earlier, the Palestinian movement Hamas said a group of captives taken during its October 7 operation were also handed over to the Red Cross at the Rafah crossing and then transferred to the Israeli-occupied territories.

They included 13 women and child captives, some with dual citizenship. Hamas also released 10 Thai captives as well as one Filipino as the total number of Gaza captives released hit 24.

The Red Cross said that over several days it will transfer captives held in Gaza to Israeli authorities, and transfer Palestinian detainees to authorities in the West Bank.

The statement also said that the ICRC would bring in “additional medical supplies” to be delivered to hospitals in Gaza.