Gaza: Second hostage swap takes place, Palestinian women and children freed

TNA’s live coverage of the latest from the war on Gaza concludes for today. Join us again at 0800 GMT for updates from the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, has released footage on Telegram of the release of Israeli captives who were transferred to the Red Cross.

Certain captives were filmed smiling to the camera and waving goodbyes to al-Qassam members before heading inside ICRC vehicles.

 Red Cross bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners arrives in the occupied West Bank town of Al Bireh, AP reports.

#BREAKING| The 33 freed Palestinian children have arrived now at Al Bireh in the #WestBank. pic.twitter.com/osIw2rjLaA

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 25, 2023

One of the most well-known detainees that were freed tonight, Isra Jaabis, has been captured reuniting with her loved ones in their East Jerusalem home.

The 37-year-old Palestinian woman, who was held in an Israeli prison since 2015, was charged by Israeli authorities for attempting to detonate a bomb. Jaabis and her family, however, say a faulty cylinder of cooking gas had caught fire near a checkpoint in East Jerusalem.

Middle Eastern media outlets reported Israeli forces storming into Jaabis' family home, as well as removed journalists and those who were not deemed immediate family members.

GRAN DÍA: La madre palestina Israa Jaabis es liberada de las cárceles de la ocupación israelíes tras 8 año. pic.twitter.com/KFkm9orNI2

— Palestina Hoy (@HoyPalestina) November 26, 2023

Israeli forces killed a total of six Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said.

A 25-year-old doctor was killed early in the morning outside his home in Qabatiya, near Jenin, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups in the north of the territory, the ministry said.

Another Palestinian was killed in el-Bireh, near Ramallah.

Four people were also killed by Israeli army fire in Jenin, during an incursion by a large number of armoured vehicles into the town, which was recently the scene of the deadliest Israeli raid in the West Bank in almost 20 years.

Witnesses told news agency AFP that Israeli forces was surrounding Jenin's public hospital and the Ibn Sina clinic, and that soldiers were searching ambulances.

They also reported heavy fighting with automatic weapons.

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said early Sunday she was "relieved" over the release of a second group of Hamas hostages, including four German-Israelis.

"I am thinking of them and of those who are still in the hands of Hamas. We are working with all our might to ensure that they too will soon be free," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The Palestine Red Crescent (PRSC) has said in a post on X that Israeli forces are besieging the Jenin Governmental Hospital and the Ibn Sina Hospital in the occupied West Bank.

PRCS added that the Israeli forces are also obstructing and preventing any emergency medical service teams to reach the wounded- as well as “continuously inspecting” their ambulance vehicles.

🚨🚑 IOF obstruct and prevent the PRCS emergency medical services teams from reaching the injured, continuously inspecting the ambulance vehicles. They are also besieging both Jenin Governmental Hospital and Ibn Sina Hospital.#Jenin#NotATarget#IHL https://t.co/HJPkAwD9eN pic.twitter.com/JNixAPxAzh

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) November 25, 2023

A nine-year-old Irish-Israeli girl was among the latest group of hostages released by Hamas on Saturday, Ireland's prime minister said in a statement.

"This is a day of enormous joy and relief for Emily Hand and her family," Leo Varadkar said.

"An innocent child who was lost has now been found and returned, and we breathe a massive sigh of relief. Our prayers have been answered."

An Al Jazeera TV broadcast has aired live footage late on Saturday of a bus that it says was carrying Palestinian prisoners released from an Israeli prison passing in the occupied West Bank town of Beitunia.

The arrivals have sparked a wave of Palestinian crowds who have told media outlets they are both rejoicing and paying respect to Palestinians killed during Israel's war on Gaza.

Separately, a number of newly released Palestinian prisoners have arrived in occupied East Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

1000s of Palestinians joyously receive the initial group of women and children released by the israeli regime in Beitunia town @OnlinePalEng pic.twitter.com/hwXGVOE4TD

— Sarah Wilkinson (@swilkinsonbc) November 24, 2023

Television images and social media videos have begun showing Palestinian detainees being welcomed home in annexed east Jerusalem.

 39 Palestinian detainees have been freed under an agreement between Israel and Hamas that earlier saw 13 Israeli hostages freed by the Palestinian group from the Gaza Strip.

Now in East Jerusalem police force media and family members out of the house of prisoner Israa Jaabis before her arrival pic.twitter.com/yKhPlbbAgI

— Oren Ziv (@OrenZiv_) November 25, 2023

🧵 Thread showing the release tonight of the second group of Palestinian women and children by Israeli occupation forces, as part of a prisoner exchange deal.

1. Shorok Dweiiat from Sour Baher, Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/5d9kACyvlZ

— Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) November 25, 2023

Palestinians officials have said that four Palestinians, including two teenagers, were killed in the occupied West Bank, following reports that Israeli forces have been carrying a military raid in the territory's city of Jenin.

This includes the killings of Ammar Abu al-Wafa, 21, and 17-year-old Ahmad Abu al-Heija.

Two Palestinians were also injured by Israeli live ammunition near Ramallah's Ofer Prison in the West Bank, according to Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Palestinians are still waiting nearby the prison for the anticipated release of Palestinian detainees, as agreed under a hostage swap deal between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli prison authorities say 39 Palestinians released under hostage deal. 

More updates to come.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Saturday it had concluded the release of 17 hostages held in Gaza.

"Our teams have transported these 17 people from within Gaza to the Rafah border, where they were handed over to Israeli authorities," an ICRC spokesperson said in an email to news agency Reuters.

The ICRC team consisted of eight staff members, including a doctor, travelling in four vehicles, he said.

The neutral, Swiss-based organisation already facilitated the release and transfer of Gaza-held hostages and Palestinian detainees on Friday under the terms of a four-day truce.

The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) says one of its ambulances in the occupied West Bank has been “targeted” near Ofer Prison.

The attack “resulted in the rear window shattering, and our team is safe,” the PCRS tweeted on X.

Families and loved ones of Palestinian detainees are gathering outside the vicinity of Ofer- who are still awaiting the release of the second round of Palestinian women and children.

🚨🚑 Targeting a PRCS ambulance in the Ofer area near ramallah resulted in the rear window shattering, and our team is safe.#WestBank #NotATarget #IHL pic.twitter.com/YRXRNFtjUg

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) November 25, 2023

Israeli security forces said that the second group of hostages released Saturday from the Gaza Strip had returned to Israel.

The joint announcement by the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security service came after the prime minister's office said in a statement that the government "embraces the 17 hostages that are returning home, 13 of our citizens and 4 Thai citizens".

The Israeli government said six adult women and seven children and teenagers had been released from Hamas in Gaza in a hostage deal on Saturday, after spending 50 days in captivity, a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office said. 

Journalists and activists are holding a solidarity vigil outside the TeleSUR network's building in Caracas to pay homage to the journalists killed during Israel's war on Gaza.

Attendees of the vigils includes Fadi Alzaben, the Palestinian ambassador to Venezuela, and Patricia Villegas Marin, the founder and president of the TeleSUR network, Al Mayadeen English reports.

Videos have also surfaced online of attendees of the vigil carrying banners of the names of journalists who were killed in Gaza and Lebanon by Israel.

A vigil was held in front of #Telesur network's building in #Caracas in solidarity with #AlMayadeen's martyrs Farah Omar, Rabih Me'mari, and Hussein Akil, in addition to all the journalists who were killed by "Israel" during its recent aggression. pic.twitter.com/u6iMdNILGO

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 25, 2023

 Hamas has said that they are completing the release of Thai hostages from Gaza following efforts from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, according to a statement.

"In response to the efforts of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has completed the release of Thai detainees inside the Gaza Strip," the statement said.

Israeli forces spokesman Daniel Hagari says 13 Israeli captives and four Thai nationals under the Red Cross supervision and are on route to the border crossing known as Karam Abu Salem or Kerem Shalom.

The convoy “returning to Israel” is heading through Egyptian territory, he said.

Majed al-Ansari, the official spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed in a post on X that 13 Israelis and four foreign nationals that are said to be Thai workers have been handed over to the ICRC.

Al Ansari said they are on their way to the Rafah border crossing.

Israeli forces had also confirmed “just moments ago” that Hamas handed over the hostages to the Red Cross, Al Jazeera correspondent Hamdah Salhut reports.

“They will then be handed over to the Israeli military, they will be taken to an airbase in southern Israel for an initial check, where they will then be flown to several different hospitals throughout the Tel Aviv area for additional medical and psychological checks,” Salhut said.

Thousands of protesters on Saturday carried placards, waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans before Canada's Parliament in Ottawa, demanding a permanent ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

The diverse group included Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, Jewish, anti-war, labor and social justice organizations.

The rally followed an online petition presented to lawmakers on Friday with 286,719 signatures, said to be the most of any parliamentary e-petition, urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to press for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

"A pause is not enough," protest organizer Yara Shoufani told AFP, adding that "thousands of Palestinians have been killed and Gaza's infrastructure has been destroyed."

NOW: Thousands have made it to Ottawa for a national march at Parliament Hill. For as long as Canada continues to fund Israel’s decades long genocidal campaign on Palestine, we will continue to take to the streets!

🔴 Watch live on Youtube https://t.co/x1uejmsKCV pic.twitter.com/GJBHQJAKJa

— Palestinian Youth Movement (@palyouthmvmt) November 25, 2023

Arab media have released video footage of the people who were held captive by Hamas inside International Red Cross vehicles driving through the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

13 Israelis and 4 foreign nationals have been confirmed as those released, as the second group of Palestinian women and children are also expected to be freed shortly.

عاجل| تغطية صحفية.. القـ.ـسـ،ـــام يفرج عن 13 من الأسرى لديه بالإضافة لأربعة من الأجانب والآن يصلون معبر رفح جنوب قطاع غزة. pic.twitter.com/jOzZMZqGJd

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) November 25, 2023

The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) has issued a post via X on the conditions and location of Awni Khattab, the head of the Khan Younis Medical Center, that are “now unknown”.

Israeli forces arrested Khattab, three other paramedics and a companion of a wounded person on Thursday. The latter four people were later released.

The group were helping with the evacuation of wounded and ill patients from al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to the south- as the hospital remains under Israeli military occupation.

“PRCS demand his immediate release along with other medical teams that are under arrest,” the post wrote.

🚨PRCS expresses deep concern for Awni Khattab, Head of Khan Younis Medical Center in #Gaza. Arrested by Israeli forces during the wounded convoy from Al-Shifa Hospital, his whereabouts are now unknown.

📢PRCS demand his immediate release along with other medical teams that are… pic.twitter.com/IJrfadZHzi

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) November 25, 2023

Many joyful but wary Palestinians emerged from makeshift shelters at the start of the four-day Gaza ceasefire on Friday to begin the long journey back to their homes.

In the southern town of Khan Younis, which has been housing thousands of displaced families including from heavily bombarded northern Gaza, streets were packed with people on the move, Reuters reports.

Men, women and children carried their belongings in plastic bags, shopping bags and rucksacks. One family sat on the back of cart piled high with bags and pulled by a donkey.

Some people looked up to the sky as if to check they were not in danger of attack from Israeli warplanes.

"I am now very happy, I feel at ease," said Ahmad Wael told Reuters, trudging along with a large mattress on his head.

"I am going back to my home, our hearts are rested, especially that there is a four-day official ceasefire, better than returning to live in tents. I am very tired from sitting there, without any food or water. There (at home) we can live, we drink tea, make bread using fire, and the oven."

Work on releasing a second group of Israeli and foreign hostages from Gaza was going ahead, Israel's chief military spokesperson said on Saturday, after a brief holdup appeared to have been resolved with the help of Qatari negotiators.

"The effort tonight is advancing," Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told a regular briefing.

Hamas' armed wing says 13 Israelis, 7 foreigners have been handed over to Red Cross.

More updates on this.

Hamas announced its appreciation for Qatari- and Egyptian-led efforts at ensuring the continuation of a temporary truce agreement between the group and Israel that began on Friday.

Hamas said in a statement that the Egyptian and Qatari parties had confirmed Israel's commitment to all the terms and conditions of the agreement.

Earlier on Saturday, Hamas had decided to delay a second round of hostage releases as part of the truce deal until Israel committed to letting aid trucks enter northern Gaza.

The Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has received a phone call from US president Joe Biden to discuss an implementation of the truce- as well as ways to reduce further escalation and increasing aid flow to Gaza.

The two leaders focused on “the implementation of the humanitarian truce agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the joint international efforts to deescalate tensions, protect civilian lives, respect International Humanitarian Law, and increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza,” a statement by the Amiri Diwan said.

 Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israeli forces would continue its indiscriminate war in Gaza until all hostages are released.

Israeli news publication Haaretz reported that the defense minister added that any negotiation for the hostages' release would take place during "times when the bombs are falling and the forces are fighting."

"Israel's ability to bring back the first group of hostages stems from the military pressure applied," Gallant said.

"When pressure is exerted – they want a ceasefire; when you increase the pressure – they seek another ceasefire; when you escalate further – they are willing to come up with a proposal, and when you increase it even more – they're ready to offer something acceptable. That's the whole approach."

Israel has killed more than 15,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, according to Palestinian officials.

 At least two Palestinians were killed and seven others were injured by Israeli forces on Saturday in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

Two of the injured are in critical condition, the ministry said.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported earlier that Israeli forces stormed Jenin early on Saturday evening "from several directions, firing bullets and surrounding government hospitals and the headquarters of the Red Crescent Society."

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says that since October 7 and November 25 the death toll of journalists has risen to 57. 

This includes the killings of 50 Palestinians, 4 Israelis and 3 Lebanese journalists.

The watchdog added that 11 journalists have been left injured while three others are missing and 19 arrested.

UPDATE: as of November 25, 57 journalists and media workers were confirmed dead: 50 Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese. And 19 journalists were reported arrested. https://t.co/lNtZEQfEOX

— CPJ MENA (@CPJMENA) November 25, 2023

Hamas has finally released the list of the second round of Palestinian women and children who are expected to be freed from Israeli jails.

The list included the names of six women and 33 children.

Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also confirmed in a post on X that among those who will be released are “33 children and six women”.

Those released from Israeli prisons will include 33 children and 6 women, while those released from Gaza will include 8 children and 5 women, in addition to 7 foreigners.

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) November 25, 2023

Tehran said that “the issue of Thai prisoners was jointly pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar" in a statement to the official IRNA news agency.

“A list of names of these prisoners was given to Hamas officials to review and assist with the issue from a humanitarian perspective,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said.

The Thai foreign ministry confirmed the release of 10 individuals, stating that nine men and one woman have been transported to Israel via Egypt.

The ministry added that about 20 Thais are among the estimated total of 215 captives who still held in Gaza.

Israeli forces have killed one Palestinian, while three others have been injured during an attack in the West Bank city of Jenin, according to the Palestinian health ministry. 

Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that Israeli forces stormed Jenin earlier on Saturday evening "from several directions, firing bullets and surrounding government hospitals and the headquarters of the Red Crescent Society".

BREAKING | Announcement of the martyrdom of the young Ammar Abu Al-Wafa; shot by the Israeli occupation forces in #Jenin, West Bank. pic.twitter.com/NOvlsgb8Cl

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 25, 2023

39 Palestinian civilians and 13 Israeli captives from Gaza will be released tonight- in addition to seven foreigners, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs' official spokesperson says.

Majed Al Ansari said “the obstacles were overcome through Qatari-Egyptian” mediation.

بعد تأخر في تنفيذ الإفراج عن الأسرى من الجانبين، تم تذليل العقبات عبر الاتصالات القطرية المصرية مع الجانبين وسيتم الإفراج الليلة عن ٣٩ من المدنيين الفلسطينيين في مقابل خروج ١٣ من المحتجزين الإسرائيليين من غزة بالإضافة إلى ٧ من الأجانب خارج إطار الاتفاق.

— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) November 25, 2023

Osama Hamdan, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, has emphasised Israel’s “empty threats will not change our position”.

“We reiterate our commitment to implement and ensure the success of the truce agreement that was reached through Qatari and Egyptian mediation,” Hamdan said in a news conference.

“The agreement on a humanitarian truce and the exchange of captives and prisoners would not have been achieved if it were not for the steadfastness of our people,” added.

“The occupation will not succeed in liberating its prisoners by force.”

The Beirut-based Hamas member has called on other states to boost support, aid and field hospitals in Gaza and exercise pressure on Israel to release all medical staff, including Al-Shifa Hospital, Muhammad Abu Salmiyah, who is currently detained by Israeli forces.

Qatar is attempting to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, according to Hamas officials speaking with The New Arab's sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. 

According to the officials, the results of the attempt will become clear within the next three hours, adding that Qatar was attempting to push Israel to allow more aid into Gaza Strip, as well as into northern Gaza.

Egypt is attempting to resolve the delay in the release of the second round of hostages which Hamas announced earlier this evening, according to a Palestinian official speaking with Reuters.

Israel has threatened to restart ground operations in Gaza unless Hamas releases the second batch of Israeli hostages due to be released today, according to Israel's channel 12. 

Hamas had previously claimed, through a spokesperson, that Israel had violated a number of sections of the agreement, including sections surrounding the entrance of aid into the Gaza. 

Qatari mediation efforts are reportedly underway to save the deal.

Israeli security sources told Haaretz that Israeli military are waiting for commands from the government over how to proceed should the agreement be broken.

Three Palestinians have been injured by Israeli gunfire outside Ofer Prison whilst waiting for the release of family members, according to Al Jazeera.

Palestinian militants in a Tulkarem refugee camp shot and killed two alleged collaborators with Israel early on Saturday, Palestinian officials said. 

A Palestinian security officer said a local militant group in the camp, in the northern town of Tulkarem, accused two Palestinians of helping Israeli security forces target the group in a major army raid that killed three key militants on 6 November. The two alleged informers were in their late 20s and early 30s, respectively, and one was from the camp, said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

A second Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity for the same reason, confirmed that Palestinian security forces were aware of the incident. The public prosecutor’s office said it would have details in the coming days about a police investigation into the killings.

The local militant group — affiliated with the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed offshoot of the secular nationalist Fatah party — posted a cryptic statement just after the two men were reported killed. "We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves," it said.

The Israeli military has made two interceptions over Israel's southmost city of Eilat.

Footage of the incident shows two missiles in the air over Eilat, although it is unknown what was intercepted.

Footage shows two interceptor missiles flying over Eilat. pic.twitter.com/OO4kUPgeCW

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) November 25, 2023

Hamas has said they have decided to delay the second round of hostage releases until Israel commits to allowing aid trucks into northern Gaza, according to Reuters.

A Polish citizen was among hostages released from Gaza, Poland's foreign ministry said on Saturday, as it welcomed news of a ceasefire in the Israel-Hama conflict.

"We welcome the information about the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which allowed the release of the first group of hostages, including a Polish citizen, and increased supplies of humanitarian aid to the enclave," the ministry said in a statement.

"At the same time, Poland continues to firmly demand that Israel consent to the safe departure from the Gaza Strip by other Polish citizens."

Some of the hostages released on Friday held dual-citizenship. 

(Reuters)

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Saturday that one of its patrols was hit by Israeli gunfire in the vicinity of Aytaroun of southern Lebanon, although there were no casualties.

UNIFIL condemned the attack on its peacekeepers, calling it "deeply troubling".

"We strongly remind the parties of their obligations to protect peacekeepers and avoid putting the men and women who are working to restore stability at risk," it said in a statement.

(Reuters)

Egypt said on Saturday it had received positive signals from all sides regarding a possible extension of the truce in Gaza for one or two days , Reuters reports.

Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS), said in a statement that the country was holding in-depth discussions with all parties to reach an agreement on extending the four-day truce, which "means the release of more detainees in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons." 

Protesters in London are calling for the implementation of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign Director Ben Jamal issued a statement saying: 

"A permanent ceasefire must be the starting point to address the underlying causes of the situation, including decades of military occupation and a system of oppression against the Palestinian people that is considered internationally to meet the legal definition of apartheid."

"The British government must end its complicity in Israel’s crimes, starting by joining the call for the killing of civilians to stop completely."

"We will redouble our efforts to ensure that there is no return to violence. We will continue to march, demonstrate, and organise to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire and justice for the Palestinian people"

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has stated that a convoy of 61 trucks has entered into northern Gaza, the largest convoy to enter the besieged north so far.

Trucks in the convoy are "loaded with food and non-food items, water, primary health care medicines, and emergency medical supplies, from aid that entered through Rafah today as well as from PRCS warehouses in the south."

The convoy was also lead and escorted by PRCS, alongside affiliated ambulances and staff.

PRCS noted that the convoy "is not enough as the needs are enormous."

🔴 The largest convoy of 61 trucks of aid assistance to the #Gaza and the North governorates loaded with food and non-food items, water, primary health care medicines, and emergency medical supplies, from aid that entered through Rafah today as well as from PRCS warehouses in the… pic.twitter.com/NMrQqiYo2R

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) November 25, 2023

During a press conference alongside his Portuguese and Slovenian counterparts Jordan's Foreign Minister stated that "Israel will not enjoy security by killing Palestinians," adding that "Security will only be achieved by settling the conflict and the two-state solution."

He also said that during the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday the Arab-Islamic liaison committee would press for a permanent ceasefire.

"Israel attacks anyone who does not agree with its policy, and it cannot remain above international law. We all want this truce to turn into a permanent ceasefire and a complete end to this aggression," he said.

"If this decision is not taken, the security council is responsible for perpetuating this barbarity represented by the Israeli aggression against our people in Gaza."

A delegation from Qatar has arrived in Israel in a bid to ensure that the hostage exchange that was agreed to between Hamas and Israel continues.

According to Haaretz, a visiting diplomat stated that "part of the Qatari mission team arrived for a visit designed to coordinate between the parties in the field and their counterparts in Doha to ensure that the deal continues to progress smoothly and to discuss more details about the ongoing deal."

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Saturday Taher al-Nunu, an adviser to Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh stated that Israel had committed violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Included in the accusations were claims that Israel had not comply with the understandings over the release of prisoners and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, adding that "Israel also violated the agreement by having soldiers open fire in several locations, which led to the death of two people."

He added that Hamas was looking to find new deals.

Hizam al-Assad, a member of the political bureau of the Houthi's, posted a picture on X, formerly Twitter, showing what appeared to be an Israeli container ship that came under attack in the Indian Ocean.

In the post Hizam al-Assad askes what happened to the ship CMA CGM Symi, which earlier had reportedly been struck by Iranian Shahed-136 drones.

מה קרה לאונייה "סמי" השייכת לחברת "ספנות מזרח האוקיינוס ​​השקט" ובבעלות איש העסקים הציוני עידן עופר באוקיינוס ​​ההודי? pic.twitter.com/4BZqsrAWOZ

— حزام الأسد (@hezamalasad) November 25, 2023

The Iranian Embassy in Thailand has stated that Iran had requested the release of Thai nationals that were being held hostage by Hamas.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the embassy stated that "during the visit of the Islamic Republic officials to Beirut, Iran provided Hamas officials with a list of these hostages and asked Hamas leaders to release the Thai hostages, taking into account the friendly relations between Iran and Thailand."

10 Thai's nationals were released on Friday as part of an ongoing hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas which also saw the release of a Filipino national, 13 Israeli's and 39 Palestinian prisoners.

According to the Thai government 20 Thai nationals are still being held hostage by Hamas

Egypt has received a list from Palestinian militant group Hamas of 14 hostages to be released on Saturday, security sources said.

Earlier on Saturday, Israel also said it has received a list of hostages to be freed from Gaza on Saturday by Hamas.

A container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire came under attack by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean as Israel wages war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, an American defense official said Saturday.

The attack Friday on the CMA CGM Symi comes as global shipping increasingly finds itself targeted in the weekslong war that threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as a truce has halted fighting and Hamas exchanges hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The defense official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the Malta-flagged vessel was suspected to have been targeted by a triangle-shaped, bomb-carrying Shahed-136 drone while in international waters. The drone exploded, causing damage to the ship but not injuring any of its crew.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely,” the official said. The official declined to explain why the U.S. military believed Iran was behind the attack.

Al-Mayadeen, a pan-Arab satellite channel that is politically allied with the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, reported that an Israeli ship had been targeted in the Indian Ocean. The channel cited anonymous sources for the report, which Iranian media later cited.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society says it received 196 aid trucks through the Rafah border crossing on Friday.

“The trucks contain eight trucks of medical supplies and medicines, and four trucks of hospital beds while the remaining trucks contain food, water, and relief assistance,” it said on X.

📍The Palestine Red Crescent teams received 196 trucks loaded with aid through the Rafah crossing yesterday.

The trucks contain eight trucks of medical supplies and medicines, and four trucks of hospital beds while the remaining trucks contain food, water, and relief… pic.twitter.com/j16oX7nhyC

— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) November 25, 2023

A UN convoy has been able to reach two UNRWA facilities sheltering internally displaced people (IDPs) in the north, where it delivered flour.

It was the first aid delivery to a shelter in the north in more than one month, OCHA (UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) said in a report on Friday.

Three aid trucks also arrived on Friday in northern Gaza, the first aid deliveries to the north since October 7, according to a local source quoted by Anadolu agency.

“Three trucks loaded with humanitarian aid arrived in Gaza City and northern Gaza Friday noon,” said the source.

Israeli forces have once again conducted several raids across the occupied West Bank, with one Palestinian man killed and two wounded during a raid in the town of Qabatiya, according to Wafa. The man has been identified as 25-year-old Dr. Shamekh Kamal Abu al-Rub.

Elsewhere, in the Askar refugee camp, east of Nablus, Israeli forces detained five Palestinians.

Other raids took place on Aqbat Jabr refugee camp and Araneh village. A raid was also carried out in the town of El-Bireh. 

Israeli authorities said that 14 hostages being held in the Gaza Strip  would be released on Saturday, as well as 42 Palestinian prisoners, on the second day of a truce deal.

Prison authorities said 42 prisoners -- both male and female -- would be freed under the terms of the agreement, which mandates exchanges at a ratio of three to one, and an Israeli official source said 14 hostages would be handed over.