GET THEM HOME
13 women and children hostages set to be released TODAY by Hamas after ‘last minute’ truce deal with Israel
Emily Hand, nine, is one of the child hostages expected to be freed in the coming days
A TRUCE between Israel and Hamas in Gaza came into force today with 13 women and children set to be released this afternoon.
Israel confirmed they have the names of the trapped civilians set to be freed on Friday.
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The agreement to release 50 Israeli hostages trapped in Gaza had previously been delayed over "last minute" details between Israel and Hamas.
But it came into force on Friday at 7am with a first group of hostages due to be released at 4pm, Qatar's foreign ministry announced.
A spokesperson said lists of civilians due to be released had been exchanged, including names of the women and children being let go.
In exchange for hostages, around 150 Palestinian women and children will be freed from Israeli prisons at a ratio of 3:1, Sky News reports.
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Israel has released a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners who could be released as part of the deal.
The majority are teenagers arrested over the past year for a string of minor offences.
It comes after David Cameron visited massacre sites in Israel including the kibbutz where nine-year-old Emily Hand was snatched.
Cameron was seen in pictures visiting the devastated Kibbutz Be’eri area near the Gaza border that was ripped apart in the October 7 massacre.
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Israel's national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, announced a one-day delay to the ceasefire, which was supposed to begin on Thursday morning, late on Wednesday without an apparent reason.
A Palestinian official said the delay in the start of the agreed truce between Israeli forces and Hamas was due to "last minute" details over what hostages would be given back and how the deal would happen, according to AFP.
The pause in fighting comes as bomb-blitzed Gaza continues to be relentlessly pummelled by Israel's airstrikes and ground operation.
Netanyahu insisted that Israel's mission remains unchanged, stating that the offensive will resume once the ceasefire period ends.
He said: "We are at war and we will continue the war until we achieve all our goals.
"To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages, and ensure that no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel."
Under the agreement around 12 hostages are set to be released per day and it's understood Hamas has agreed to release women and children.
A total of 240 hostages are being held in Gaza, including around 40 children, according to the Israeli Embassy.
One of these children is Emily Hand, 9, who is expected to be one of the hostages freed and returned home to her heartbroken father.
Her devastated family threw her an emotional birthday party last week, as her dad broke down in tears and said he's praying for the return of his daughter.
40 children are being held captive by Hamas
- Avigayil Idan, 3
- Ofri 10, Yuval 9
- Uriya Brodetz, 5
- Ariel Bibas, 4
- Kfir Bibas, 10 months
- Emily Hand, 9
- Ohad Mundar, 8
- Hila Rotem, 12
- Agam Goldstein-Almog, 17
- Gal Goldstein-Almog, 11
- Tal Goldstein-Almog, 9
- Ella Elyakim, 8
- Dafna Elyakim 15
- Yagil Yaakov 12
- Or Yaakov 16
- Yuval Engel, 10
- Mika Engel, 18.
- Amit Shani, 16
- Ofir Engel, 17
- Yahel Shoham, 3
- Naveh Shoham, 8
- Noam Avigdori, 12
- Emilia Aloni, 5
- Yuli Cunio, 3
- Emma Cunio, 3
- Eitan Yahalomi, 12
- Sahar Calderon, 16
- Erez, 12, Calderon
- Raz Asher, 4
- Aviv Asher, 2
- Noga Weiss, 18
- Aisha Zaidna, 17
- Mia Lemberg, 17
- Noam Or, 17
- Alma Or, 13
- Liam Or, 18
- Gali Tarshansky, 13
- Yuval Brodutch, 8
- Ofry Brodutch, 10
- Ohad Zachri, 9
Israel's national security adviser previously made it clear the first hostage release wouldn't take place until Friday at the earliest.
Earlier this week, Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh and the Israeli Prime Ministers cabinet made an agreement to stop fighting for a four-day period and to have 50 hostages released.
Following weeks of negotiations facilitated by Qatar as a mediator, Israel's cabinet gave its approval for the truce after an almost all-night session.
During the meeting, the PM said it was a "difficult decision but it's a right decision".
For every 10 hostages released, the lull in fighting will be prolonged by an extra day, however captured female IDF soldiers are not believed to be part of the deal.
The agreement states: "Immediately after the end of the pause in fighting needed to secure the release of the hostages, fighting will resume in the Gaza Strip in order to destroy the military and organisational capabilities of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza and to create the conditions for the return of all the hostages."
Humanitarian aid will also be allowed to enter all areas of the Gaza Strip.
Qatar's foreign ministry confirmed the deal, saying that "a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons" would be released in exchange for the hostages.
Qatar's foreign ministry stated that the starting time of the truce would be "announced within the next 24 hours and last for four days, subject to extension," but nothing has been confirmed yet after further delays.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron welcomed the truce which he described as a "crucial step" and urged both sides to deliver the deal in full.
Lord Cameron - who recently made a remarkable comeback to politics - is visiting Israel and going to see the devastation left behind at massacre sites before reportedly meeting with Israel and Palestine officials.
He said in a statement before his important trip: “This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“I urge all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full. Of course, we want to see all hostages released immediately and families affected by the horrors of the October 7th terror attack reunited.
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“The UK will continue to work with all partners in the region to secure the release of all hostages, restore security, and reach a long-term political solution which enables both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace.”
Hamas released a statement welcoming the "humanitarian truce", but noted that "our hands remain on the trigger."
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