Rafah (Gaza Strip), Nov 24 (AP) Qatar's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the release of 24 hostages after seven weeks of captivity in the Gaza Strip.

“Those released include 13 Israeli citizens, some of whom are dual citizens, in addition to 10 Thai citizens and a Filipino citizen,” said Majed al-Ansari, the ministry's spokesman. Qatar was a key mediator in the hostage release.

Also Read | Israel-Hamas War: First Group of 13 Israeli Hostages Handed Over to Red Cross, En Route to Rafah Crossing (Watch Video).

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which delivered the hostages from Gaza into Egypt, also confirmed the release.

The hostages, women and children, were undergoing medical checks before they were to be transferred to Israel. They are to be taken to Israeli hospitals and reunited with their families.

Also Read | Hamas Releases 12 Thai Hostages Held Captive in Gaza, Says Thailand PM Srettha Thavisin.

The hostages are the first of 50 people to be released from Gaza during a four-day truce that began Friday. Israel is to release 39 Palestinian prisoners later Friday, the first of a total of 150 Palestinian prisoners to be freed under the cease-fire.

Israel declared war against Hamas after the Islamic militant group killed at least 1,200 people and kidnapped 240 others in an Oct 7 cross-border attack. The war also has killed over 13,000 Palestinians and caused widespread damage in Gaza, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run territory. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)