GAZA: It was set to release a third group of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian captives on Sunday as a delicate truce held in the two sides' seven-week war.
With a four-day truce deal holding since Friday, there was relief for some families after the second groups of hostages and prisoners walked free despite last-minute disagreements that underlined the fragile nature of the process.
The latest hostage handover was delayed on Saturday when Israel was interfering in the selection of prisoners for release and not allowing aid into northern Gaza.
Later it was relented when Egyptian and Qatari mediators relayed a promise by Israel to uphold the accord.
13 Israelis and four Thai hostages were released at night, officials said.
Israel said it in turn freed 39 Palestinian prisoners. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it had received a further list of hostages due to be released by on Sunday.
Hamas has released 26 Israeli hostages in exchange for 78 Palestinian prisoners in the two releases already completed.
They have also freed a total of 14 Thais and one Filipino.
It is expected to release a total of 50 hostages during the truce in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.
Egypt has said that it received positive feedback from both sides about the idea of extending the truce for a day or two and releasing more hostages and prisoners.
US President Joe Biden told reporters that "the chances are real" for extending the truce.
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called for "a permanent ceasefire and a complete end to this aggression".
But Israeli armed forces chief Herzi Halevi said that "immediately at the end of the ceasefire" the war would continue to return as many hostages as possible.
The pause in fighting has allowed more aid to reach Palestinians struggling to survive with shortages of water and other essentials. Israel had placed Gaza under near-total siege.
A total of 61 trucks delivered food, water and medical supplies to northern Gaza on Saturday, the United Nations office for humanitarian affairs said.
Another 187 trucks of vital supplies bound for aid organisations also crossed into the Gaza Strip, it said.
Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesman for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), warned of "unprecedented" humanitarian needs.
"We should send 200 lorries a day continuously for at least two months to meet the needs," he said.
The UN estimates that 1.7 million of Gaza's 2.4 million people have been displaced by the fighting.
The ceasefire and hostage-for-prisoner swap brought the first significant relief to both sides since October 7. — AFP
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