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Middle East conflict

Hostages freed from Gaza Strip arrive in Israel — IDF

The youngest of the former hostages is Aviv Asher, who is two and a half years old

TEL AVIV, November 24. /TASS/. The first group of hostages, who have been held in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian radicals for 49 days, arrived in Israel, where they were welcomed by Israeli military and security officers, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

"The special units of the Israel Defense Forces and General Security Service are now with the released hostages. The freed hostages have undergone initial medical check-ups in Israel. They will be still accompanied by Israel Defense Forces service members on their way to Israeli hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families," the statement said.

There are 13 Israelis and 12 Thai nationals in the first group. According to Israel’s Channel 12, among the freed Israelis are four children and their mothers. The youngest of the former hostages is Aviv Asher, who is two and a half years old. Her sister Raz (four and a half) and their mother Doron Katz Asher were released with her. The oldest is Yafa Adar, 85. All the released hostages, except nine-year-old Ohad Munder, are female.

All of them were taken hostage by supporters of the radical movement Hamas in its attack on Israel’s areas bordering the Gaza Strip on October 7. Most of the released hostages were at that time in Kibbutz Nir Oz, located near the border with the enclave.

On November 22, the radical movement Hamas announced an agreement with Israel, which was brokered by Egypt and Qatar, on a four-day humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip. Under the deal, 50 women and children under the age of 19 held hostage in the enclave are to be released in return for the release of 150 women and children under the age of 19 from Israeli prisons. The Gaza truce came into effect on Friday at 7:00 a.m. local time (5:00 a.m. GMT).

Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory on October 7, when many Israelis living in the settlements near the border were killed and many more taken hostage. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank.

Middle East conflict

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