Second Hamas-held hostage group released after delay

A second group of 17 hostages who had been held captive in Gaza since being kidnapped by Hamas militants in the October 7 terror attack on Israel were released late Saturday night after an hours-long delay as part of the short-term cease-fire agreement brokered by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt.

In exchange, another 39 Palestinian woman and children jailed in Israel were also freed.

There were 13 Israelis and four Thai nationals released, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. There were seven Israeli children ranging in age from 3 to 16, and six Israeli women ranging in age from 18 to 67 released, the office announced.

Among those freed was 9-year-old Emily Hand, an Israeli-Irish girl who was initially believed to have been killed by Hamas.

“Emily has come back to us! We can’t find the words to describe our emotions after 50 challenging and complicated days,” her family said in a statement to CBS News.

Another of those released Saturday was a teen girl whose mother is still being held captive, and a 21-year-old woman who was abducted from the Supernova music festival, where at least 260 people were slaughtered in Hamas’ October 7 rampage. Two teen siblings whose mother was killed by Hamas were also freed.

The hostages were initially transferred by the Red Cross across southern Gaza’s Rafah crossing into Egypt. The 13 Israeli hostages were then flown to Israel early Sunday morning for medical evaluations, before being reunited with family.

Their release came after an hours-long delay Saturday when Hamas accused Israel of not complying with the cease-fire’s terms.

One U.S. source told CBS News that the delay was over the pace of aid coming into Gaza.

“This is putting the deal in danger and we have spoken to mediators about that,” Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official said in Beirut, the Associated Press reported.

However, Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, said in a statement that “obstacles were overcome” with the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators, and Hamas finally agreed to release the hostages.

Israeli Defence Forces confirmed the hostages had been freed in a statement Saturday night, saying that “after undergoing an initial medical assessment” the hostages “will continue to be accompanied by IDF soldiers as they make their way to Israeli hospitals, where they will be reunited with their families.”

Another 39 Palestinians – 33 children and six women -who were jailed in Israel were also released Saturday, Al-Ansari disclosed. The freed prisoners were transferred to the occupied West Bank by the Red Cross, just as the first group of released Palestinian prisoners were on Friday. (CBS)

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