HAMAS has handed over 17 more hostages, including nine children, on the 50th day of conflict between the terror group and Israel.
The IDF said Hamas released 14 Israeli civilians and three foreign nationals to the Red Cross on the third day of their fragile truce.Thirteen released hostages have now reached Israeli territory, says the Israel Defence Forces.
The IDF wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday evening: "12 of the released hostages are being accompanied by ISA and IDF special forces to the Hatzerim Base, while an additional civilian landed at a hospital a short while ago.
"4 additional released hostages are on their way to the Rafah Crossing."Hamas said it let 13 Israeli civilians go along with three Thai nationals and one Russian-Israeli citizen.The dual citizenship may explain the difference in figures.
Meanwhile, Israeli's prison service has confirmed the release of 39 Palestinian prisoners.
Tonight's releases bring the total number of hostages freed during this window of ceasefire to 54 and the number of prisoners freed to 117.
It comes on day three of the temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel - where the parties had agreed to exchange Israeli civilian hostages for Palestinians kept in Israeli prisons.
The hostages released today have been named and several of them appear to be from the same family.Officials in Israel said.
