DUBAI, November 24. /TASS/. The Palestinian movement Hamas released 24 hostages on the first day of a humanitarian ceasefire, handing them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said.

"We confirm that the ICRC has received 24 civilians that includes a number of civilian women and children, under the humanitarian truce agreement. A number of Thai citizens have also been released," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Those released include 13 Israeli citizens, some of whom have dual citizenship, in addition to ten Thai citizens and a Filipino citizen," the diplomat added.

Tensions in the Middle East flared up again on October 7 after militants from the Palestinian group Hamas launched an incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel announced a total blockade of Gaza and launched ground operations in the enclave, also carrying out air strikes on targets in the Strip, as well as on certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.

Hamas announced on November 22 that an agreement on a four-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip had been reached through the mediation of Qatar and Egypt. The agreement stipulates the release of 50 women and children under the age of 19 who are held in Gaza in exchange for the release of 150 women and children under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons.

The Gaza ceasefire took effect at 7:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT) on Friday.