The first 13 Israeli hostages were freed from Hamas captivity Friday as part of the captive exchange deal between Israel and Hamas; 39 Palestinian women and teenagers who were held in Israeli prisons were being released in exchange, according to a spokesperson for the foreign ministry of Qatar. Separately, Hamas also released about a dozen Thai nationals who had been held hostage, though there were conflicting reports Friday on the exact number released. A pause in fighting in Gaza went into effect Friday morning — the first respite in seven weeks of war — as aid trucks entered the Palestinian enclave. Fifty Israeli hostages are expected to be freed over the four-day pause in fighting in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners in Israel under the agreement.
Bryan Pietsch, Susannah George, Andrew Jeong, Frances Vinall, Steve Hendrix, Adela Suliman, Victoria Bisset, Carrie Keller-Lynn
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